Stealing Hearts
by AshleighAishwarya
Summary: Carissa wanted to leave her childhood behind, so she became a thief and assassin. 25 years later, she returns to Riften to join the Thieves Guild, hoping to be part of something and maybe face her past. Her aggressive ways does not sit to well with most, but she was reliable. And the second-in-command just might be taking an interest in her. Features post-Skyrim.
1. Return to Riften

**HELLO! X)**

**Hi, everyone! I'm here with yet, a new Elder Scrolls fan-fic! I hope to make this into a new big project, just like "Runaway With My Heart" but there's no way I can reach to another 100 chapters x(**

**As promised, a Byrnjolf fan-fic! This will turn into post-Skyrim, just so you know. This story took up months of planning, at which was I was still doing other fics. So, it's time to get to this story!**

_**Summary: Carissa is a Breton, a native of Riften. In order to leave her childhood behind, she becomes a thief and assassin. Soon, she returns to Riften to join the Thieves Guild, hoping to be part of something. Her aggressive ways does not sit to well with most, but she was reliable. And maybe, just maybe, the second-in-command might be taking an interest in her.**_

**_Genre: Romance, Adventure, Action, Angst, Hurt&Comfort, Family_**

* * *

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Brynjolf and Carissa –"Stealing Hearts"**

* * *

"Halt! Before I let you into Riften, you'll have to pay the visitor's tax!"

"… Excuse me? But WHATEVER for?!"

"For the privilege of entering the city! Why does it matter?"

"One: I don't want to waste my gold on this shakedown, and two… I don't think a citizen of Riften should have to pay to enter her own city. So, are you going to let me through, or am I going to have to kill you with your own helmet?"

"You're a citizen of Riften? I have never seen you before,"

"And nobody is going to see the both of _you_ anymore if you two keep this up. So, are you going to let me through… or not?"

* * *

**Location: Riften  
21st Mid Year, 4E 201  
8:15pm**

_Visitor's tax… BAH. Who did they think they were? _

_Well, well… Riften. It's been a while, hasn't it? And from what I understand, many things have changed there. But now that little Rissa's here, things are going to get a lot more interesting… _

"I don't know you. You in Riften lookin' for trouble?"

The Breton stopped in her tracks and turned her head to find a male Nord, clad in steel armor. His already-threatening demeanor was supported by him folding those massive arms across his chest, and glaring at her as if she had done something wrong.

"No, because I _am _from Riften, honey. And it may have been a while, but I don't know you either. So let's leave it at that, shall we?"

"Wrong answer, short stuff," He said in reference to the Breton's small size. "The last thing the Black-Briars need is some big shot meddling in their affairs."

Black-Briars? Well, that was new to the Breton. She held her small smile. "The Black-Briars? You say it like I should know it. Who are they?"

"The Black-Briars have Riften in their pocket and the Thieves Guild watchin' their back, so keep your nose out of their business." He warned, taking a few steps towards her. "Me? I'm Maul. I watch the streets for 'em. So if you need dirt on anythin', I'm your guy… but it'll cost ya."

The Breton scratched the back of her head. "Of course it will, but you can just tell it to me for free, you know."

"Nothing is free in this world, small stuff. Deal with it," He continued to growl.

She sighed. "Fine. But I want information. On just one thing. What'll that cost me?"

"For you? 100 gold,"

"Ouch!" She continued to grin. "Are you trying to break my heart, Maul? Come on!"

"You want your information or not, short stuff?"

She huffed. "Fine. Take it." She tossed him a small purse. "Now tell me about the Thieves Guild. Are they down on their luck as I've heard they were?"

"Oh yeah," Maul nodded. "In fact, I was a former member. Left after it began to decline because it wasn't pretty. I was offered a job working for Maven Black-Briar and accepted it. It was better than being stuck down there in the Ratways." He said. "My brother Dierge continues to work for them though. You thinkin' of joining?"

"Yeah. So how do I do that?" She asked. "And I swear to the Divines, if you ask me for another 100 gold for it…"

"Calm down, short stuff," He waved his hand. "You'll want to talk to Brynjolf. He runs a stall in the marketplace. As of now, you can find him in the Bee and Barb,"

"Brynjolf, eh?" She smiled at that. "Sounds handsome. How would I know who he is?"

"A red-headed Nord. You can't miss him. No woman in this city has,"

* * *

**Location: The Bee and Barb**

She ambled into the Bee and Barb, her electric blue eyes trying to find that little red-head known as Brynjolf, who can apparently show her the way to the Thieves Guild. It should not be too hard to find a red-head. And sure enough, standing at a corner with his arms across his chest, was a crimson-haired Nord in blue find clothes.

_Hm. Tall, well-built and handsome, just as I thought. And that's a very, very dangerous combination. _Smirking to herself, she made her way to him, which of course, caught his attention. "Now either my sources are lying, or your name is Brynjolf. Is that true?"

Half of her expected him to appear threatened and turn cold, but instead, he produced a smirk. "Maybe it is, lass. But first, who's askin'?"

'_Lass'? Interesting, just like the accent. _His accent was unique, one that she had never heard before. "Carissa."

"Just Carissa?"

"Maybe if I know you well enough, I'll give you my last name," She said. "So. Are you Brynjolf?"

"The one and only. So," he kept his smile. "What _can _I do for you, lass?"

"I would say, but… I think you might prefer if we talked in private," Carissa said.

"Well, if you insist. But I think I know where this is going. Shall we?" He hung his hand out, motioning for her to go exit first.

"So gentlemanly of you, Brynjolf,"

* * *

**Location: Marketplace**

"Now, it's not every day I get a woman coming up to me, telling me she wants to join the Guild," Brynjolf started out , arms across his chest.

Carissa gasped, pleasantly surprised at that. "Wow. You are good! How did you know that?"

"If you've been in this line of work for as long as I have, lass, you can tell easily from the way one talks, walks or even dresses." He let that smirk of his hang from his lips.

Carissa glanced down at her outfit: a set of adapt robes. "Well, I don't know… what my attire tells you but yes, Brynjolf: I do want to join the Guild. I hear this is where they operate."

"Well, you heard right, lass," Brynjolf assured. "We're operating down in the Ratways. Now, if you do want to join, I'll have to see what you're made off. A little test, if you will,"

"Sure," She said without hesitation. "What do you want me to do? Say it, and it's done."

"Confident as well as straight to the point, eh? A rare trait these days," He commented. "Here's how it's going to go, lass: tomorrow, I'm going to cause a little distraction. I want you to steal Madesi's ring from his strongbox under his stall. His stall is over there." He pointed it out for her. "Then, sneak over to the elf running his own stall over there, his name is Brand-Shei, and plop it in his pocket."

"Stealing plus planting? I like it!" She beamed. "Consider it done, handsome."

"You won't disappoint me, will you?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Been doing this for 25 years. This is child's play." She reached up and patted his cheek. "Don't worry, handsome. I'll make you proud of me. Just… make sure you give me that distraction, alright? Don't let _me _down."

"Oh? 25 years? That's a long time. Well, let's see if you show off those years of experience tomorrow then." He brought back that bright smile.

"Tomorrow then." Carissa nodded. "Have a good night, Brynjolf." She opened the door for the Bee and Barb.

"And you, lass."

Tomorrow was going to be fun.

* * *

**A/N: Well, here it is! I swear, I'll try very hard to improve my writing!**

**Please review! :)**


	2. A Chance Arrangement

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"S****tealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Marketplace, Riften  
22****nd**** of Mid Year  
12:53pm**

"Well, well, you're here, lass. Good. I was beginning to think you had ran away,"

Carissa could not help but grin at that. "Come on. Little Rissa needed her beauty sleep. And her lunch." She added after a short pause. "But anyway, I'm here now. Let's do this."

"Alright, lass. Wait for my 'distraction'. You'll know what it is when you see it."

"Alright then." As she walked away, she secretly fished out a single lockpick, as well as a miniature knife to assist her in the lockpicking process. She hid then them within her sleeves, and waited patiently.

"Everyone! Gather around!" Brynjolf called out for everyone in the marketplace. "I have something to show you that demands your attention!"

A little crowd involving of locals, stall owners, and even the guards gathered around Brynjolf's stall, all eyes on him.

"What is it this time, Brynjolf? This better be worth it!"

"Patience, Brand-Shei. This is a rare opportunity, and I wouldn't want to you get left out."

Carissa made sure that no eyes were on her. And if they were, there was no way this was going to happen. She fell to her knees behind Madesi's stall and slid the slide door open and opened up Madesi's strongbox. She was very surprised: there was no need to use her lockpicks after all! She quickly pinched his ring and closed the strongbox and slide door. She looked up and searched for Brand-Shei, the dark elf. He was sitting on a box, and was behind everybody else. Perfect.

"That's what you said about the Wisp Essence and it turned out to be crushed nirnroot mixed with water!"

Carissa slapped a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter. That was some 'business' Brynjolf was running in his spare time.

"That… was a simple misunderstanding, but this is the real thing! Lads and lasses, I give you: Falmerblood Elixir!" The red-head held up a large bottle.

By then, Carissa was standing behind the crowd. She made sure that there were no eyes on her, but instead on Brynjolf. Feeling assured, she tiptoed to the back of Brand-Shei and plopped the ring into an open pocket.

She backed away and took her place behind the crowd. When Brynjolf's eyes fell on her, she gave him a single nod.

"I'm afraid that's all the time I have, people." Brynjolf finished, having picked up Carissa's nod. The crowd, some of them annoyed, some of them disappointed, dispersed from his stall. "Come back tomorrow if you wish to buy!"

In a way, Carissa was glad she did it right. Carissa would only come across these kinds of jobs when she would pick up one from a client. And she rarely worked for people too. She would only offer her 'services' to people she would deem vulnerable, and who needed to get something done. On most days, she would steal… and kill.

When Carissa met up with Brynjolf at his stall, he was in smiles; smiles that she was happy to see. "Well, well, well, lass. Impressive work! I didn't think you would actually do it."

She clicked her tongue at that, and brought a hand to her chest. "Aw, Brynjolf, how can you break my little heart like that? You owe me, mister."

Brynjolf raised an eyebrow at the little Breton. _Pretty and flirty. Well, she can afford to get away with it. _"I hope this makes up for it, then." He brought out a small purse from under his stall's desk. "Your payment. 100 gold."

_I get my 100 gold back! Yay! _"Payment?" She took it from him. "But you never said anything about payment!"

"Oh? You were willin' to do it for free then, lass?" He questioned, arms across his chest.

"Well…" She brought back that smile of hers. "I give discounts to people I find extremely good-looking."

As much as Brynjolf controlled himself not to, he could not contain a chuckle. "I'll bet, little Breton. But you know, with the way things have been going around here, it's a relief that our plan went off without a hitch."

"What's been going on?" She asked. "Oh! I heard the Guild has been… down on its luck?"

"I guess that's how things go sometimes…" He said. "But anyway, you did a job, and you did it well. I suppose the Guild could use someone like you,"

"So where do I find you people? Down in the Ratways?"

"Yes, lass. A tavern called the Ragged Flagon. Get there in one piece, and we'll see how things go from there." He told her.

Carissa pulled a confused face. "You have a _tavern…_ beneath Riften? My, my, how things change in 25 years…"

"Excuse me, lass?" Now Brynjolf had a perplexed look on his proud Nord features.

She bit her lower lip. _Whoops… _"Long story short, handsome? This… is my hometown. I left when I was 10 with my brother. We did some travelling here and there… and by travelling… you know what I mean,"

"Ah. Sibling thieves," He nodded at that. "So where's your brother now?"

Carissa held her smile. "We uh… had a bit of an argument. Haven't seen him since."

"Well, arguments tend to happen between thieving teams every now and then," He said. "You won't find that in the Guild. We're like a little family. You'll fit right in. That is… if you do get to the Flagon in one piece."

Her smile blew into a grin. "Ohhh, is that a challenge, Brynjolf? Well," She stepped closer to him, prompting him to lower his crossed arms. "No matter. I like a challenge." She then ran a hand up his chest. "You won't be getting rid of me that easily, handsome."

His sparkling green eyes gazed at her hand, before looking into her electric blue ones. "Cocky too, eh?" He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Make it to the Flagon. And I'll see if I'll like having you around or not."

"Such a sweetheart you are," She said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You'll be seeing me." She began to back up, away from him. "You can count on it." She turned to the Bee and Barb.

"We'll see," That was all the second-in-command of the Guild could say. "We'll see, lass."

"If that's the way it's going to be, lad." She mimicked his accent perfectly, before disappearing into the inn.

Brynjolf smiled to himself. _Small, but loud. Pretty, yet flirty. You might just turn out to be quite the prize, little Rissa, but you're goin' to have to make it to the Flagon first._

* * *

**A/N: *Ahem* For some reason, I am proud of this chapter. **

**I hope Brynjolf is fine, though! I just find him to the flirty type. Plus, I had this whole debate about the color of his eyes. It's green, after going through tons of deviantART stuff and finding an up-close screenshot.  
**

**Anyway, the next chapter's gonna be ACTION! :D You get to see Carissa's style of killing. Stay tuned!**


	3. In The Ratways

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

Carissa knew that what Brynjolf meant when he said that he needed her to get to the Ragged Flagon in one piece: there was going to be trouble. And lots of it. That might that the Breton needed to prepare herself; she just might have to kill something. Oh joy.

So Carissa spent the whole day practicing her movements just outside of Riften. She also made sure her Glass Dagger was sharp enough and that all of her Iron Daggers were kept hidden within her robes just in case she would require them.

Carissa knew from an early age that she needed a way to protect herself. It just came to a point where she knew she would have to _kill _just to make sure she would stay safe. Eventually, she found no fault in that.

* * *

**Location: The Ratways, Riften  
22****nd**** of Mid Year  
8:14pm**

Once, Carissa had gotten lost in the Ratways. She did find her way out, but only after several failed attempts. So if nothing had changed and memory served, she knew exactly how to travel deeper within the Ratways.

As soon as she entered the Ratways, there were two men chatting with each other and oblivious to her presence behind them. Good. Taking very slow and patient steps, she sneaked up to them without a peep. With one hand carrying her Glass Dagger and the other with a plain Iron Dagger, she stabbed them in the back of the neck. They gasped, but no words were coming out. They fell to their knees, and Carissa pulled out the daggers.

"So sorry. Hope it didn't hurt _too _much…" She whispered, and began searching their bodies for some goodies to take with her.

The other victims who fell prey to Carissa did not put up much of a fight. Maybe it was because she would flung Iron Daggers at them. Maybe it was because she would jump on them and kill them before they even had a chance to react. Or maybe it was because of her small size that she was quick on her feet.

Carissa was small, yes, but feisty. She was not _that _short, but still considered short for an average woman. It was, quite possibly, due to her Breton blood but anyone who had ever made fun of Carissa would always pay… and it often involved someone almost killing someone…

The Breton was sure she was really deep within the Ratways now. She was facing, yet, another door. But this one was a little more interesting than all the others: at the side of the door, on the door, there was a tiny drawing etched into it. A circle within a diamond.

Either she did not know her Shadowmarks well enough, or that was the mark of the Guild. She had made it.

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon**

When Carissa opened the door, the first thing that she was faced with was a cistern. This caused her to drop her jaw and almost her beloved Glass Dagger. _A cistern… within the Ratways? Wow. The Guild had really turned this dump around. _

Beyond it, she could spot a small tavern. She could pick up voices from there so she decided to make her way there. When entering the tavern, there was a sign that said. "The Ragged Flagon".

_The Ragged Flagon… was a tavern. Wow. Don't think I would EVER guess that… _

"Give it up, Brynjolf! Those days are over!"

"I'm telling you: this one is diferent…"

_Brynjolf! It's so lovely to hear your voice again! _

"We've all heard that one before, Bryn! Quit kidding yourself!"

"It's time to face the truth, old friend. You, Vex, Mercer… you're all part of a dying breed! Things are changing!"

"Ahem," Carissa cleared her throat, and suddenly, all eyes were on her. Besides Brynjolf, three other men and a woman were there with him. "I believe you were expecting me, Brynjolf?"

"Well, well!" Brynjolf had a huge smile on his face. "Color me impressed, lass! I wasn't certain I'd ever see you again!"

"Oh come on," Carissa continued to have a hand over a barrel next to her. "You're telling me that 25 years of experience wasn't enough for you to believe me? I can handle anything, Bryn. Those little twits were nothing."

The red-headed Nord cocked an eyebrow and crossed those massive arms across his chest. Arrogance was one thing, but since she was able to back it up… "You are indeed, turning out to be quite the prize, little Rissa. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to handle one more thing for me before I can give you a permanent place in the Guild. Can you do that?"

Carissa flashed her smile at him. "For your handsome face? Anything, Brynjolf. Tell me."

Her flirtations were beginning to stick to him. It was like he did not mind at all. "A few deadbeats owe our organization some serious coin and they've decided not to pay. I want you to show them the error of their ways."

"Ooh. Who are they?" She cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

"Keerava from the Bee and Barb. Bersi Honey-Hand from the Pawned Pawn,"

"What?" She spat out in a laugh, after hearing that name.

"And Haelga, from Haelga's Bunkhouse." He finished. "And honestly, lass? The debt is secondary here. It's more important that you get the message across that we aren't to be ignored," He told her. "However, I _don't_ want any of them killed. It's bad for business." He told her warningly.

"Shoot…" She whispered. "Alright. You'll get your debt. But if they try to get me mad… I'm going to make it look like an accident."

From that sentence, Brynjolf could immediately tell that Carissa had a short temper, and did not like handling debt-collecting. But none of them should be harmed whatsoever; she needed to know that. "I don't doubt you can do that, lass, but I _don't _want that happening. Don't disappoint me now."

Carissa brought back that smile of hers. "Alright. I won't kill anyone, I promise. I'll be back with their debt. Don't go anywhere." She told him sweetly, before turning her heel and taking off.

Vex, the only woman in the room, pulled a face that said she was sick to her stomach. "What a flirt…"

"Don't blame her, Vex. She just likes what she sees." Brynjolf shrugged his shoulders. He had wanted to say that so badly.

* * *

**A/N: I am sorry for two things: one, I know I promised action, but all I could dish out was this :/ And two: for the wait of this chapter. Honestly, I'm a complete wreck right now. On the 17****th**** of December, I get my end-of-year examination results. If I pass, I get finish my last year of high school next year. If I don't, I repeat this year. I've been waiting since October 9****th**** and the wait is driving me crazy. **

**Until then, I'm trying to focus on my fan-fics, one of the few things that keep me happy :) I promise to bring back the action scenes that some of you have said you've loved from me :) **


	4. The Family

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: The Bee and Barb, Riften  
22****nd**** of Mid Year  
8:30pm**

"I already told that over-sized buffoon that I'm not paying him a single coin!"

"You owe a debt. You will have to pay it. I'm not leaving here until I get what I came for, Keerava."

"Just get out of my inn!"

"I'm not leaving. Now you either pay up, or tankards are going to start flying."

* * *

**Location: Pawned Pawn **

"I already told Brynjolf that I'm not paying him!"

"Alright then. I couldn't help but notice that ugly Dwavern Urn of yours. I wonder what will happen if I try to smash it…"

"Oh Gods!"

"Just pay them, Bersi…"

* * *

**Location: Haelga's Bunkhouse **

"I'm going to make this very simple: I have a message from Brynjolf, and I think you know what it is. If you don't pay up, I'm going to walk over there, grab that stupid Dibella statue, and drop it in a well. Now, you can prevent that from happening, by giving what you owe. So… what is it going to be, little Haelga?"

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon, The Ratways  
9:02pm**

"So… the job's done and you even brought the gold. And you even did it clean." Carissa presented him the coin purse with 300 pieces of gold inside it, which Brynjolf accepted. "Dumping bodies and keeping the guards quiet can be quite expensive, you know,"

The tiny Breton smiled at him. "With me on the job, you wouldn't have to worry about seeing those bodies ever again. Just so you know, Brynjolf."

"Ohhh… so you're a killer eh, Carissa?"

While she smiled, she bit her lower lip as well. "Something I do part-time. You can say maybe I like killing things more than I like thieving. Oh, but don't let that change your opinion of me, handsome," She reached up and patted his cheek. "I'm still dangerous, as I'm still reliable."

'Reliable': that was all the second-in-command needed to hear. "Here you go: your payment." Brynjolf pressed that same coin purse into her hands.

She glanced down at it with a puzzled expression. "What? Seriously?" She began to laugh. "You just made me go after my own payment." She squashed the purse against his chest, still in in shock.

"You managed to get three of the most stubborn people we'd ever have to work with, to give back what they owe," He said in a slow tone, hoping to make her understand. "Even though… judging by the way you expressed how you would make their deaths look like accidents, I'd say you do not like socializing with people."

She gazed around the Ragged Flagon. "I guess I have… a 'bit' of a temper…"

The Nord chuckled at that; Carissa found that baritone chuckle almost intriguing. "Well, maybe we can work on that someday," He told one of her hands with his large one and placed the coin purse on her palm. "Now then, lass. Are you ready to meet the boss?"

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon ****–**** Cistern **

After a cabinet revealed to be a secret door, Carissa was facing yet, another cistern within the Ratways. This one actually had more style. Brynjolf led Carissa to the center of the cistern, where the guild master stood: he was tall, not as tall as Brynjolf though. He had brown hair, a light stubble, and a mean look on his face.

Carissa knew that he was not a very happy man.

"Mercer, she was the one I was talking about," Brynjolf presented his protégé to him. "Carissa."

"Sir," Carissa nodded, though not sure what to expect from this man.

The guild master continue to glare at the red-headed Nord. "This better not be another waste of the guild's resources, Byrnjolf."

"Trust me: it's not," Carissa folded her arms across her chest. "I've done it all: break-ins, pickpocketing, framing, stealing, exploiting… you name it, I've done it."

Mercer Frey arched one eyebrow at her; he still looked unimpressed. Taking another quick glance at Brynjolf, he turned to Carissa. "Well, Carissa, before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear, since you've obviously been doing this on your own. If you're going to be a part of this guild, you play by the rules. You do that, you walk away rich. You break the rules, you lose your share, _no discussions._" He emphasized heavily on that last part. "You do what we say, when we say. _Do I make myself clear_?"

Carissa felt like she was finally allowed to blink. "Perfectly."

"Good." Mercer nodded at that. "Let's see how good you are, Carissa. Speak to either Vex or Delvin at the Flagon. They will offer you jobs from time to time. Get a job or two from them, and show me what you're made of. If you make me proud, I'll give you an even better job to show of your skills at."

At that point, Brynjolf turned back to Mercer, almost mortified. "Wait a minute. You're not talking about Goldenglow, are ya? Even our little Vex couldn't get in!"

Mercer turned his head at him. "If she can handle the things well enough, then it's only right that she handles the rest." With that, he glanced back at the Breton. "So get going. Talk to Tonilia. She'll get you your armor. Welcome to the Thieves Guild."

"Thank you." Carissa gave a nod, and Brynjolf led her away, catching her grin as she turned away from Mercer.

"Welcome to the family, lass," Brynjolf patted her back. "I know you'll make us proud."

* * *

**A/N: I hope a short chapter is okay!  
**

**And the reason why I didn't just jump into the Goldenglow job was because I wanted Bryn and Carissa to have more time together before everything else jumped in. Cause I felt that Mercer's betrayal part of the story comes in too quick :/  
**

**Anyway, hope you like!**


	5. The New Girl

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon, The Ratways, Riften  
22****nd**** of Mid Year  
9:06pm**

"You. Sweetheart. Pull up a seat, and have a drink. On me."

Carissa grinned at the bald, older member of the Thieves Guild. "You must be Delvin Mallory," She deduced, taking a seat opposite him. "I hear you offer jobs?"

"Indeed I do, little one: I handle the Bedlam, Fishing, and Numbers job in the Guild," He said. "And according to my sources, you like to get your hands dirty. So. What'll it be?"

Carissa leaned back against her chair and thought for a bit. She was feeling a bit adventurous today. "Is it alright if the new girl goes after two different jobs?"

Delvin was actually impressed by her boldness, but he tried to hide it. "Really now?" He raised an eyebrow. "Well, if the new girl wants to show off her talent, then go ahead."

"Alright. I'll take a Bedlam and a Fishing job. So," She rubbed her hands together. "What do you have for me?"

"I'm sending you to Whiterun, little one," On his desk, he had a small notebook, which he opened and flipped through a couple of pages. "There, you're gonna steal 500 gold in goods from anywhere your little heart desires." He then turned to a new page. "As for a fishing job, I like to give a challenge to the new bloods, especially when their cocky,"

Carissa flashed a half smirk. "I back it up."

"Let's see if you do." Delvin smiled back. "Hrongar in Whiterun has a rather lovely Flawless Amethyst, I've been told. I'd like you retrieve it for the Guild."

"Done." Carissa got up from her seat. "I'll be back with the goods and the Amethyst."

"Before you fly off, hotshot, I think you might wanna take your armor first?"

Carisa spun around and spotted a lone Redguard woman sitting at the bar counter. "The boss might have mentioned that you carry the armor around here…"

"Did he also mention I'm the fence here?" She raised an eyebrow. "Tonilia. I buy the things that you don't exactly own, if you know what I mean." She then tossed an entire outfit to Carissa, who caught in by surprise. "Here's your armor, hotshot. Make sure you make good use of it."

Carissa managed to untangle her arms from the bundle of leather. "Thanks. And speaking of things I don't own… I might have a couple of things, if you know what I mean."

* * *

"Before we begin, I want to make two things perfectly clear:"

"Um… alright…"

"One: I'm the best infiltrator this rathole of a Guild's got, so if you think you're here to replace me, you're dead wrong."

_Are you kidding me?_

"And two: you follow my lead and do exactly as I day. No questions, no excuses."

"Um…"

"Then we understand each other. Good."

"Honey, if you're trying to make enemies, I'm the wrong person to start with," Carissa raised a finger at the long-standing member of the Thieves Guild. Dear Oblivion, she had _just _met this woman and she was already getting all up in her face! "I'll follow your lead because you're one of the experienced members, but if you ever, _ever_, try to take that attitude with me again, I'll drop you. I wouldn't even have to be a better infiltrator than you just to replace you."

In a blink of an eye, Vex was reaching for her iron sword, when Carissa quickly countered with a Glass Dagger to her neck. Vex's hands froze upon the realization of her current position. Both ladies were glaring eye-to-eye, with Carissa having no intention of letting go.

"Whoa, ladies! If you want to fight, take it outside! But _not _in my bar!" Vekel the Man, the bartender of the Ragged Flagon ordered, standing behind the safe zone of his counter.

Carissa smirked, and lowered her arm. "So predictable…" She sheathed her Glass Dagger and turned away. "I have a job to do anyway…"

That only left Vex fuming, with a new urge to punch something. Delvin, Tonilia and Vekel made sure that none of them were going to be that thing that was going to get punched hard.

And despite what had occurred, a certain red-headed Nord could not help but smirk from a distance.

* * *

**A/N: Well. Another short chapter. I'm sorry, guys. Just 15 more days before I get my exam results. Until then, I'm a nervous wreck ;_;  
**

**But I think the next one will make up for it: more fluff between Bryn and Carissa :)**


	6. Sabre Cat

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon, The Ratways, Riften  
24****th**** of Mid Year  
10:23pm**

After two days had rolled by, Carissa had finally completed her two jobs in Whiterun, and was heading back to the home of the Thieves Guild. And just as she had predicted, it was easy as apple pie. A midnight visit to Arcadia's Cauldron and the Drunken Huntsmen, she was walking away with 500 gold worth of goods.

Even the fishing job was effortless, since the Breton had always had a way with men. It was not something she was proud of, but if it guaranteed a job well done, then she was willing to do it. All it would take was some sweet-talk, and the battering of the unbelievably sparkling blue eyes she had. Nothing more. She would never degrade herself to _that _level just for a job.

When she returned to the Ragged Flagon, Delvin Mallory congratulated her on a job well done. The elder member was very impressed, and offered a few more for the new girl. Carissa would have been a fool to have said no. Now, she had two new Numbers job: make the changes in the ledger at the Riften Stables at The White Phial in Windhelm.

But Carissa wanted a little more. She had wanted… excitement. And where else was she going to get excitement than with a good ol' fashioned break-in?

Unfortunately, there was only one problem…

"Take another step closer, short stuff, and I'll send you through the ground."

Carissa flashed an attempted-to-be genuine smile. "You'll have to be able to hit me first, you hagraven."

"What do you want, Breton?" Vex growled, arms folded across her chest. "This better be important."

"Oh, but it is." Carissa assured, taking a new serious tone. "I hear that you handle the break-in jobs around here. I was hoping that despite the fact I put a knife to your neck… you could give me some jobs."

Vex pulled a fake smile. "Well, short stuff, you should've _not _put a knife at me then. You're on your own."

"Are you serious?" Carissa placed her hands on her hips, having quite enough. "You take this 'I'm mightier than you' attitude with me, and do you _honestly _expect me not to retaliate? I don't know what exactly your problem is, Vex, but I don't like it. In fact, I don't like you at all."

She scoffed at the Breton. "I think I got that the first time around, short stuff. But do you think you can look around you?" Vex took a step closer. "This place is falling apart. This rathole of a Guild, is falling apart. Heck, old Delvin thinks it's some kind of curse. Forgive me if I have to sit back and watch it fall, but it's honestly, _not _a good feeling to have."

"For the record, hagraven, the Guild can get its glory back," Carissa said, determination in her eyes. "You can leave that to me, and these little jobs I'm handling. But I don't do a damn _thing, _until you help me!" She jeered. "Help me, and you help the Guild. You honestly think that there's something else out there for you to do? No. I don't think so. "

The disgruntled look that Vex had on her face was still standing. She was either not impressed, or had a very small selection of emotions.

So Vex decided, although she was not going to give Carissa the satisfaction: "Here," She fished out a small slip of paper and pressed it against Carissa's chest. "Retrieve the Jeweled Pitcher from House of Clan Cruel-Sea in Windhelm. Retrieve the Gold Sapphire Ring from The Hag's Cure in Markarth, and plant the Stolen Amethyst in the Treasury House, also in Markarth." Then she also butted heads with the new member. "Do _not _disappoint me." So saying, the elder member left her sight, and heading for the Cistern.

Carissa clutched the tiny slip of paper in her hand and glance at it. "Well now that wasn't so hard now, was it?"

* * *

**10:37pm**

_**Make the changes in the ledger at the Riften Stables.  
Make the changes in the ledger at The White Phial in Windhelm.  
Retrieve the Jeweled Pitcher from House of Clan Cruel-Sea in Windhelm.  
Retrieve the Gold Sapphire Ring from The Hag's Cure in Markarth.  
Plant the Stolen Amethyst in the Treasury House in Markarth. **_

"Vekel! Another bottle, please!"

"Comin' up, Carissa."

"Thanks, handsome!" Carissa smiled sweetly at the Nord, and returned to her list of objectives. _Five jobs. Hm. I suppose I can finish these in two to three days. Best not take too long, though. _

Once Carissa was satisfied with the list she had made, she slipped it into her robes, and returned to her work on her Thieves Guild armor. In the Ragged Flagon, it was only her, Vekel the Man and Dirge, his bouncer; the rest had gone to sleep. Carissa, however, wanted to finish the work she was doing on her armor before she would start her jobs.

"That seat taken?"

Carissa, without turning around to the voice behind her, smiled to herself. "Not at all. Please. Join me."

Brynjolf stood opposite her and got a better look at what his protégée was doing. She seemed to be… altering her newly-received Thieves Guild armor. "Don't like the armor, I presume?"

"What?" She glanced up at him. "No, Brynjolf! I do! I'm just… altering it for personal purposes." She assured.

"Oh?" His green eyes caught sight of several neatly stacked Iron Daggers on the same table. He picked one up and examined it. "Might those personal purposes have anything to do with hidden Iron Daggers?"

She grinned at him. "You're a smart man, do you know that?"

"Just a wild guess, lass," He smiled back and returned the Iron Dagger. "You're always prepared, aren't you?"

"A woman has to learn to protect herself, Brynjolf. I learnt that a long time ago," She said, adjusting some of the buckles on the top.

"Does that involve sticking one of these in your enemies' throats?" He asked, arms across his chest.

She giggled. "I don't attack, unless provoked, Brynjolf. I'm just like a sabre cat. You piss me off, I cut you. Simple."

"Feisty," He commented. "However, in this business, I can't allow you to kill anyone you want. If anyone pisses you off, you'll just have to stand there and take it."

She rolled her eyes at that.

"I'm serious, lass," He walked up to her. "We're not the Dark Brotherhood here. We leave that to them. In here, we thieve. Nothing more."

She locked eyes with the red-headed Nord. "But you can't go to the Dark Brotherhood every single time, you know. You'll need someone you already have in the Guild, who knows how to make bodies disappear. I can do it, Brynjolf, but _only_ if _you _request it of me."

The look on her face guaranteed Brynjolf that she was not lying, not one bit. The flirtatious woman was indeed, being honest this time.

"I've never been a part of something before," She furthered confessed, her tone solemn this time. "It's been lonely for far too long. You really think I'd jeopardize this? I won't. I just joke and make fun, that's all. You can't take everything I say seriously." She smiled at him, patting his cheek gently. "I'll hold in my temper. But you say the word…"

"I'll let you know." Brynjolf cut in, smiling. "Don't worry."

That was more than enough for Carissa to smile back. "Thank you."

He gave a slight nod, and took his seat. "Now, I just spoke to Mercer. Seems like Delvin was very impressed with you. I hear you have five new jobs now?"

"Yep," She cleared the table of her daggers and armor and opened up the Black-Briar mead that Vekel had brought to them earlier. "To be honest, I didn't think Vex would actually give me the jobs after the way things went down that other day."

"I know," He picked up his tankard. "I saw everything."

"You're not mad, are you?" She asked.

"Let's just say… that you were luckier that Mercer didn't see it."

"Oooh," She raised her eyebrows. "I bet I would have been in biiiig trouble…"

"Not even I could have recused you," He took a sip.

Carissa brought back her cheeky smile. "Come on, Brynjolf. You wouldn't leave a damsel in distress now, would you?"

"Depends on _who _is the damsel, lass." He smiled. "Now you? You're a woman who can protect herself. You wouldn't have needed me."

"That's SOOOOOOO heroic of you, Brynjolf…. Thanks." She drank the mead.

Brynjolf flashed a contented grin at that. "Don't you want to say hi to the rest of the family?" He asked.

She glanced down at her tankard. "I figured I'd make a name for myself in here first, so they don't think I'm a girl who is all talk, and no action. I'm all talk, and I'm _full _of action."

"Maybe one day I should see you in action. See what you're actually made off."

"Well, I can tell you one thing, Brynjolf," She sighed. "I _never _disappoint."

He smiled at that. "True, lass." He leaned against his seat. "So far, you've been impressive."

She tapped her tankard, and then raised it. "To the Guild. We'll get back on our feet soon, I promise."

That sentence hit Brynjolf square in the heart – in a good way, to be exact. A smile forced its way to his lips. He raised his own tankard. "And to you, sabre cat."

* * *

**A/N: Well... I'm quite proud of this chapter! :D It turned out well!**


	7. Meet The Members

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon, The Ratways, Riften  
28****th**** of Mid Year  
8:57pm**

"It's done," Carissa plopped a small sack on one of the tables in the Ragged Flagon. "Delvin, I made the changes as you have instructed. Vex, I planted Stolen Amethyst in the Treasury House, just like you wanted. And here's the Jeweled Pitcher and Gold Sapphire Ring, just like you wanted."

"… What… in the name of Oblivion… happened to you?"

To be truthful, Carissa had not expected that to be Vex's response. "What do you mean?"

"Your armor's practically dipped in dirt, and you have quite the scratch on your cheek." Vex pointed out, one eyebrow raised, and her arms across her chest.

Carissa instinctively touched that cheek, and then proceeded to dust her armor. "Oh this?" She began to chuckle. "This is nothing. I ran into a bit of trouble."

The two elder Guild members exchanged a look of glance, before turning their heads back to the new girl. "Carissa…" Delvin started out, but was afraid of going any further.

"I didn't kill anyone," Carissa quickly denied, knowing full well where this was going.

"If I hear anything, I swear to the Eight…" Vex began.

"I _didn't _kill anybody related to the jobs!" She tried to argue, although the looks that she was receiving only proved that they thought she was covering something up. "This has nothing to do with that! I ran into some… bandits who were trying to rob me!"

"What's going on here?" Brynjolf questioned, just as he exited the cistern and found two of his elder members interrogating his protégée. "By the Eight, Carissa, what happened to you?!"

"Lying to us." Vex placed one hand on her hip, still holding her glare at the new member.

Carissa's eyes widened. "I swear, you hagraven, you keep this up and I'll rip out that nose!"

"Carissa, you will do no such thing," Brynjolf demanded.

She ignored that and turned to him. "They think I murdered someone related to one of my jobs! I swear to the EVER-holy Nine Divines, I ran into some bandits who were trying to rob me! So I took care of it! Hence, the messed up armor and the scratch on my cheek."

As much as they wanted to believe her, she was not appearing very convincing. Just by trying to say that it was bandits, she was hesitating. And of course, they knew of her temper, and her urge to kill. Was it wrong to think that she was hiding something?

"Alright?" She left it open for them to speak their mind one last time. "Alright? Good! Now that's settled, I'd like to get back to work."

"Actually, Carissa, Mercer wants to speak to you," Brynjolf said. "Come with me." He requested, and escorted her to the cistern. "I apologize about that."

Carissa shook her head and smiled slightly. "It doesn't matter. They had every right to think that way. After all, I was one who made it big that I had a thirst for blood."

Brynjolf reached for the door leading to the cistern. "I didn't hear anything so far, so you're in the clear," He said with a smile. "You have a bit of blood there." He swiped a small dot of blood on her neck.

She smiled in appreciation. "Thank you."

* * *

**Location: Cistern**

"I heard you had five jobs, Carissa. How did they go?"

Carissa was standing in front of Mercer Frey, the Guild Master, and he was still giving her the 'I'm not very happy man' look. "Wonderfully. I made the changes, swiped the goods, and planted what I needed to," She said. "I'm ready for a couple more."

"Yes, well, I'm sure you are, but I want you to put your expertise to the _real _test." Mercer said, arms across his chest. "Now, I'm sure you remember something about Goldenglow on your first day here?"

"Vaguely," She admitted.

"Well, it's an Estate, and it's critically important to one of our largest clients," Mercer began to explain. "However, the owner had suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson. Brynjolf here will provide you with the details." He traded a glance with the red-headed Nord. "All I ask is that you do exactly as he says, and don't botch it up."

"Anything you want, boss."

"Good, then I guess we're done here." Mercer began to head back to his desk. "Good luck, Carissa."

Carissa turned to Brynjolf and pulled a sad face. "He still doesn't like me."

Brynjolf chuckled at her. "Knock it off. I don't think he even likes anyone,"

"I'll bet," She smiled. "So tell me about the Goldenglow job."

"Sure," Brynjolf started to give her the long and hard history of this crucial job. "Goldenglow Estate is a bee farm; they raise the wretched little things for honey. It's owned by some smart-mouth wood elf names Aringoth. We want you to simply burn down three of the estate's hives and clearing out the safe in the main house, just to teach him a lesson."

"That's it?" She questioned. "I don't get to hit him?"

"I'll give you something better," He said with another smile. "If he stops you from getting the job done, kill him. Unless he doesn't, then we need him alive."

"Got it," She understood that perfectly. "So this client: someone I know?"

"You might: Maven Black-Briar."

Carissa grinned. "WOW. Talk about things getting better,"

"So I think you know why this is very important, lass, and why you have a big responsibility on your little shoulders," He said. "We had an arrangement with Maven. We kept an eye on Goldenglow Estate to make sure the honey kept flowing. If the workers had a dispute, we'd rough them up. If competitors tried to buy honey from Aringoth, we'd steal the shipments. In return, Maven allowed us to extort Aringoth and bring in a huge payout. Then suddenly, he stops sending us our cut,"

"Hence, the lesson I am required to teach him. I see…" Everything was falling into place now. "Is there any… trouble I should look out for?"

"Mercenaries," He answered. "Aringoth hired them. When Vex tried to infiltrate the place, they nearly gutted her. Now, since Mercer heard about your thirst for blood, he figured you can handle the job."

"And I can," She placed her hands on her hips. "You just see. I'll leave right away."

The Nord gave her smile for that. "Before you fly off, sabre cat, the other members want to speak to you individually. So say hi, make some friends, and then you can be on your way. Good luck, lass. I'll be waiting for the good news."

Carissa smiled to herself as the elder Guild member walked away from her. All she could think about now was completing this job, making the second-in-command proud of her, and hopefully, this will actually give her a smile from the boss.

"Come here a second,"

Carissa furrowed her eyebrows and spun around: she was faced with a hooded Bosmer, who had an impressed look on his face, and an Imperial bow on his back. "A lot of people are beginning to get impressed with you here. Me included. Just wanted to let you know."

She broke into smiles. "Thank you! That's sweet of you. You have a name, handsome?"

"Name's Niruin. Master trainer in Archery. If you ever need practice with the bow, you can just grab me."

"Good to know," She continued to smile at the Bosmer. "So what's your story? How'd you get to be a part of the Guild?"

"Well, if you must know," Niruin smiled back. "I used to live in Valenwood working at my father's winery... we made the finest wine to ever cross your lips, I promise you. We were doing well: plenty of coin, a huge mansion and I was even betrothed to a lovely young woman."

"Ooooh," She folded her arms across her chest. "It's sounds nice, actually. Why'd you leave it all behind?"

"Because it was dull," He sulked. "Every day was the same boring routine: working at the winery, social visits with friends, parties with no one I cared about. I just wanted a little excitement. Something _dangerous_. So I hooked up with a guild in Valenwood... I think they called themselves the Silver Crescents. Spent quite a few years doing jobs for them. Made a lot of coin, but I didn't care. I didn't really need it... I was running with them because it fit, made me feel alive."

"You had quite the time of your life, then,"

He nodded in agreement. "Well, after a while my father caught on to what I was doing. He confronted me one night and gave me a choice: either leave Valenwood, or he'd have me thrown into jail. Gave me a day to say my goodbyes to everyone. I ended up in Skyrim thanks to a contact I'd made when I was with the Crescents... good old Delvin." He smiled. "He introduced me to Gallus, and that was it. I've been here ever since. And you know what? Despite what I left behind, I don't regret it one bit."

"Gallus?" Carissa was new to that name. "Who's that?"

"Oh, the previous Guild master. Listen, Carissa, do yourself a favor, and don't ask about that. It's for the best."

"If… you insist."

* * *

"Hey! We need to talk,"

"I'm all ears, handsome. Tell me your story."

"You're pretty tough. I respect that. Bringing in a lot of coin for the Guild, making us look good too. Let me know if you need anything, alright?"

Carissa smiled. "Oh? That's sweet of you! Thrynn, right? The muscled one?"

"Yeah, I'm the heavy hitter around here. When someone needs pushing around, I'm the one they send in." The Nord said. "Brynjolf pulled me in a few years ago. Said the Guild was lacking some muscle, so I joined up."

"What were you doing prior to that?" She decided to ask.

"I was in a bandit clan," He admitted "I joined up with them maybe ten years ago. Small clan... maybe twenty men. We'd raid villages, rob caravans... but it was always about the killing for them. Don't get me wrong. The first few years with that clan were some of the best years of my life. All the food I could eat, all the wine I could drink and all the women I could bed. We raided a caravan one spring... I think it was a few wagons with some farmers moving to a new village. They didn't put up much of a fight. All that was left were the women and the children. Then the leader of our clan... Garthek... he ordered us to kill the rest."

Carissa had a bad feeling about where this was going. "You… sound like that wasn't something you would usually do."

"No, we usually let them go," Thrynn said. "I refused to do it, and Garthek ordered the clan to kill me as well. Luckily, I had made some friends with the clan who immediately sided with me. We tore each other to pieces. After it was over, those of us that remained simply went our separate ways."

"And of Garthek?" She questioned.

Thrynn then smiled. "I left his head on a pike at the wreckage of the caravan. Never knew what became of the rest of the clan that survived. I suppose they moved on just like I did."

She nodded in agreement. "Well, it's probably for the best. I hate bandits more than anything else in the world, so if I had crossed you, still as a bandit, I would have cut you,"

That statement caused Thrynn to look at her with an almost awed face.

She then flashed a grin, and patted his shoulder. "Let's train sometime. You can show me how to kill a man with my bare hands."

* * *

"I think you're all right, Carissa. In fact, I'm kind of impressed how well you're doing around here. Just keep it between us, alright? From one Breton to another,"

"Um… sure, Cynric. So… tell me your story."

He smiled. "Pull up a chair, my friend: this is quite a tale."

Carissa sat opposite him with her tankard in hand.

"When I started out in this business, I wasn't really interested in the Guild or being a thief. With my lock picking aptitude, I was a natural at jailbreaking. Made a great deal of gold doing it too."

"Never tried that before though," She admitted. "It's too risky."

"I know what you mean. I'd do jobs for the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, and if things didn't go as planned, I was on my own. The last jailbreak I attempted failed." He shook his head. "I was imprisoned in High Rock for three years before they let me go. After that, I promised myself I'd never do it again."

"Huh," Carissa then realized, "You're kinda like me: I love thieving and killing too. Why not the Dark Brotherhood?"

"I don't know. I think I realized that out in the world, my skills would bring me more wealth as a thief rather than an assassin. Killing someone in a jail is much easier than what the Dark Brotherhood deals with." He said. "I guess I wanted to play it safe. I already knew Delvin, I asked if I could join up, and that was that."

"Interesting,"

"If you liked killing, why didn't you join the Dark Brotherhood as well?" He asked.

She smiled. "I almost did once. A couple of years ago, I went to sleep, and a shrouded person decided to be in my presence when I woke up," She took a sip of her mead before continuing. "I said I wasn't interested, and then I killed him. Honestly? The Dark Brotherhood is too… creepy."

* * *

"Hey? Can we talk for a bit?"

"Of course, handsome! What can I do for you?"

"I've never seen anyone with skills like yours. I just wanted to let you know that if you need anything, you can talk to me."

"Aw!" That sentence touched Carissa's little heart. "Well, aren't you precious? Take a seat, sweetie. What's your name?"

"Name's Rune, and yes, I know what you're thinking…"

She shrugged her shoulders. "The name looks good on you. But how did you get it, though?"

"My father told me he found me as a young boy in the wreckage of a ship that sank off of the coast near Solitude. All he found in my pocket was a tiny smooth stone inscribed with some sort of strange runes." From his hand, Rune presented the little stone.

Indeed it was unique. Carissa had never come across anything like this before. "Do you know what it means, Rune?"

"No one does," He said. "I've even taken the damn thing to the College of Winterhold!I must have spent every last coin I've made with the Guild trying to find out what it means. They could even be nonsense... inane scribbles done by someone in idle boredom. But if not... if they actually mean something, they might tell me where I'm from... what ship was I on. Everything..."

She felt sorry for the young Imperial. "Oh, sweetie… maybe you're not supposed to know. So you've been stuck with that name ever since?"

Rune then gave her a sweet small smile. "Actually, the fisherman who found me, the man I call my father gave it to me. Thought it was fitting I suppose. I never changed it, because it never felt right to do so."

"You're definitely right."

* * *

"You're making waves around here. I like that. If you ever want to talk about anything, you let me know."

"You're too kind. Maybe you can tell me about yourself? And why you have a nickname called, 'The Fleet'?"

"My specialty is pickpocketing. All I need is a rich mark, a moon-lit sky and I'm in my element," Vipir the Fleet gladly stated. "As for a nickname… if I must… It was on a job a few years back... it was supposed to be a simple burglary on a house in Windhelm. I was working with Vex and we got inside with no trouble. We found the loot, and made our way out."

"Everything seems alright to me," She said.

"Well it was, up until the point where we set foot outside." He said.

"The house was surrounded by town guards; the client had ratted us out. Vex just tells me to run, so I did. Half of them went after me, the other half went after her. Vex lost them in seconds... once she steps into the shadows, she vanishes." He said. "Me? I ran... and I ran... straight through the gates of Windhelm and all the way back to Riften. Vex was waiting for me at the Flagon when I came in... drenched in sweat. Everyone just took a look at me and laughed."

She giggled. "I would laugh too, but that's quite a distance to run,"

"Well…" He scratched the back on his head embarrassingly; he was going to regret telling her this. "I had forgotten we had our horses tied up just outside of Windhelm... Vex rode hers back and arrived hours before I did."

Carissa pressed both of her hands against her mouth, to prevent her from having the biggest laughter of her life.

"So, that's how I earned the name. Now keep it to yourself."

* * *

"Sapphire, wasn't it? So, do you have a real name?"

"Look, I don't really know you. I don't even really know anyone here. Why do you care anyway? It's not like we're family. This is a business."

"Whoa, sweetie," Carissa raised both of her hands up in truce. "It was just a question,"

"Look, you want to know about me? All right, I'll tell you!" With each word, Sapphire grew more and more angry. "I'll tell you about the time I was a young girl, barely out of her teens... living on a pig farm in the middle of nowhere. Didn't have a coin to spend between our entire family. Ate the same slop we fed our livestock."

"That is… not the best way for a young girl to be living…"

"Oh, wait... it gets much better. How about the fact that our farm was attacked by bandits, and that they killed my entire family who didn't even brandish a weapon against them? Here's the best part: they took me as a prize, and violated me for a fortnight. Tossed me from bandit to bandit like... like..."

"Hey! Hey…" Carissa took both of Sapphire's hands and clasped them tightly, realizing how worked up she was getting. "You don't have to continue. In fact, you did not have to tell me in the first place,"

The female Nord sighed, and took a while before she spoke again "It's fine... I had to tell someone I suppose. Carrying around a weight like that... it hurts after a while. Cuts you inside like a dagger to the heart." She unknowingly held onto Carissa's hands.

Carissa gave her a smile to calm her. "How did you escape?"

"Over time, I managed to gain their confidence. Then one night I grabbed a knife, waited until they fell asleep and cut their throats. I never returned to that pig farm you know. There's nothing for me there…" She sighed, and looked up. "So that's my sad story. What do you think?"

All Carissa could give was a smile. "I think… that you were a very brave girl, Sapphire. If only I was _that _brave…"

Sapphire narrowed her eyes at that. "W-what do you mean, Carissa?"

"Let's just say…" Carissa's smiled faded away. "… that you and I aren't so different. You and I had our lives ruined by bandits."

Behind that smile the new girl was giving, Sapphire knew there was a story. "Do you… want to talk about it?"

Carissa glanced up from their clasped hands and nodded. "You know… I think that would do me some good."

* * *

**A/N: Honestly, meeting the Guild members was the best part of the faction. Everyone had a great story to tell x) **

**Yay to a long chapter! Hope you like! :D**


	8. Maya

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, The Ratways, Riften  
28****th**** of Mid Year  
9:31pm**

"Well… seems like we're not so different after all,"

"Yep," Carissa poured another tankard of mead for herself. "You know, in a way, it's nice to talk to someone who understands."

Sapphire smiled sweetly at her, an action that she was not sure she was able to do anymore. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I honestly… have never felt this free before," She looked at Carissa. "I'm really glad you're here,"

Carissa smiled back. "Aw, thank you, sweetie!" She picked up her tankard. "A word of warning, though: don't tell any of this to Brynjolf."

Sapphire furrowed her eyebrows. "Any specific reason why?"

"Well," She took a sip. "As far as he's concerned, my older brother and I were thieves, and we broke up due to a little argument."

"Is… there a reason why he was told that version?"

She smiled. "Things were going so well, I… didn't want to ruin it by telling him my sob story."

Sapphire kept her smile. "Oooooh, so you like him…"

"Nothing of that sort…" However, that could not hide the slight rosiness in her cheeks.

"Nooooo, I see the flush in your cheeks, Rissa," She pointed at her. "He _is _single, you know…"

"We women are naturally attracted to unbelievably handsome men, Sapphire. How can I help it if I blush?" Carissa attempted to reason, although that appeared to be failing. "And I cannot believe I am having this conversation. I should go to my appointed job!" She almost stumbled out of her seat at the bench.

"You'd be surprised, you know," Sapphire stopped her. "A man like Brynjolf _is _popular with the ladies, but when he's found the one, he's committed."

Carissa arched an eyebrow and held a crazy 'I don't believe you' grin. "And how would YOU know that, Sapphire? Something you're not telling me?"

She waved her hand at her. "Not what you're thinking, Carissa. Just a couple of stories that surfaced after a night of drinking with him and Delvin."

"Ah," She nodded at that, completely understanding. "Well… I'm not interested. I just enjoy the attention I get from him, that's all."

Sapphire traced the circular edge of her tankard. "Oh, I have a feeling that might change…"

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon**

"So I heard you ran into trouble during the Goldenglow job,"

"That depends. Why are you asking?" Carissa held her little smile, which caused Vex to feel uneasy. Holy Mother Mara, it could not be! "YOU'RE handling the Goldenglow job?!"

"It's not Jester's Day, just so you know," She delivered in a sincere tone. "I need to know everything you know when you tried to infiltrate that place."

Vex sighed in annoyance. "Fine, but I don't know how it'll help. I'm pretty sure the fetcher tripled the guards when I tried to get in. It was like he was _daring _us to come and get him."

Carissa raised her eyebrows at that, mildly impressed. "Well, if it's a dare he's offering, I just so happen to be in the mood for conquering some. Any idea how I can slip inside?"

"Well, there's an old sewer tunnel that dumps into the lake on the northwest side of the island," She said, picking up her tankard. "Or… since you're the assassin around here, you could, I dunno…" She brought the tankard close to her lips, and left that sentence hanging.

Carissa brought back her cheeky smile, knowing full well what Vex was driving towards to. "I see… I'll… take that into consideration."

"You do that. Just don't botch this up."

* * *

**Location: Goldenglow Estate  
9:43pm **

"Oh GODS, the water is cold!" Carissa shook all of the water off her dear Thieves Guild armor. Thank goodness it was made of leather.

As soon as she pulled herself onto the island, she could see mercenaries on patrol duty. Five of them were guarding the estate, and three of them were defending the bee hives. But to her dismay, all of them were wearing Iron Armor. There was no way neither her Glass Dagger nor all of her Iron Daggers penetrate that.

Oh well. There was a reason why Carissa did not take the sewers: she liked a challenge.

"OH BOOOOOYS! HOW'S IT GOING?!"

The sarcastic yell of a young woman was not usual in the night air. So it caused the nearby mercenaries to look up in confusion.

"So who's first?"

The mercenary nearest to her charged for with an Iron Battleaxe. Carissa kicked him in the knee, causing him to fall to his knees. She unsheathed her beloved Glass Dagger and stuck it into the back of his neck.

Pulling it out, her next two victims were already ready. One attempted to swing his Iron Battleaxe at her. She ducked, only to kick the other one in the face –hard, before slitting the throat of her first attacker.

Three down, five to go. She blocked the charged attack of the fourth mercenary, twisted his arm painfully so he would drop his Iron Sword, and made his punch himself in the face – hard. The fifth mercenary nearly chopped her into two when he brought the Iron Battleaxe down, but it became stuck when it connected with the ground. She took this opportunity to stick an Iron dagger into his neck.

Five down, three to go. With all this commotion, the three mercenaries emerged from their guarding spots to stop this intruder. Carissa took the chance, and flung two Iron Daggers at them – two of the three went down after those daggers hit him in the face. Ouch.

The last mercenary stopped dead in his tracks, after seeing the damaged this lone woman had done. Carissa flashed an evil smile, and took slow steps towards him. The mercenary did not want any part of this, and attempted to make a run for it in the other direction.

As he spun around, he let out a very high-pitched gasp. He was faced to face with a _wolf. _

The navy-colored wolf growled ferociously, obviously angered and ready to bite something. The already-terrified mercenary held up his hands and walked backwards slowly, so as to not to trigger the wolf into doing something. Like lunging for his neck, for example.

When he turned around, he was met with a female Breton with a Glass Dagger in her hand. Presenting a sweet smile, she stabbed him in the neck, and threw his body to the ground.

Carissa glanced at the wolf, who did the same. She then smiled at the animal. "Took you long enough."

The wolf wagged its tail and trotted up to Carissa, wanting a pat. "Aw, thanks for coming down, Maya!" She patted Maya's head and hugged her. "You ready to help Mommy kill more bad guys?"

* * *

**A/N: More secrets! **

**I really like Sapphire, especially afer you've talked to her and all. It's only fitting that she and Carissa have a good friendship :)  
**

**ay1234 - Haha, you remembered! x) Yes, in the old summary of this story, I did write that Carissa had a trusty pet wolf. But I decided to leave it out so it could be a surprise! LOL, I WAS HOPING SOMEONE COULD POINT THAT OUT! XD  
**

**And so sorry that I was gone for a while - TRAGEDY! My laptop's screen decided to mess with me and I had to get it repaired ;_;**


	9. Loud and Clear

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"She's going."

"Boss-"

"Just shadow her, Brynjolf. Do you have any idea of the reputation she has established all over Tamriel? She's taken on more assassination jobs than thieving ones. That woman is a _killer_. Follow her. I want to know what she is _truly _capable of."

* * *

**Location: Goldenglow Estate  
28****th**** of Mid Year  
9:43pm **

"ANYBODY HOME?!"

"What in the- HEY! Intrude-OH GODS!"

Following Carissa's greeting and the mercenary's cry due to Maya getting the jump on him, the Breton decided not to do this quietly. She had been itching for some action. And with Maya, her pet wolf assisting her, things were about to get even nosier.

"Get him, Maya!" Carissa ordered, slashing one mercenary and kicking another down to deal with him. "There's PLENTY to go around!"

If only Brynjolf saw her, he would think she had lost her mind. Twice.

"Go on ahead clear the way for Mommy, Maya," Carissa requested, twirling a glass dagger and an iron dagger in each hand. "But leave alone a Wood Elf. We're going to need that little twit."

* * *

"Hell-OOOOOOOOOOO!" Carissa called out in sing-song, which was rather terrifying. "Oh, Aringooooth! Are you home?"

After leaving a few more mercenaries dead, Carissa and Maya made their way deeper into the estate. They were facing a lone locked door which she kicked open because she was too lazy to pick the lock. She was hoping at Aringoth would be home…

…and there he was: cowering in the corner.

Carissa raised an eyebrow, and gave him a little smile. "Hi! You the owner?"

"Worthless mercenaries…" The Wood Elf got to his feet, clutching his elven dagger close to his heart. "I didn't think Maven or Mercer would allow me to get away with this, but I had little choice."

"Yeah well, you see, Aringoth?" Carissa took two steps closer. "_I don't care_. So, can I get the key to your safe? Or do I beat it out of you?"

"I can't!" He almost squealed. "If I do, I may as well cut my own throat!" He was petrified to the bone; his heart must have been beating at a fast rate.

"Oh, I'll be more than happy to do it for you!" Carissa offered kindly. "Either way, I still get the key to your safe. So what is it going to be, elf?"

Maya growled softly, hoping to 'encourage' Aringoth in his decision-making.

"No! I'm can't let you ruin everything I've worked so hard for!" With that fearless cry, he charged for the Breton with his elven dagger.

Carissa stood her ground. She waited for the perfect time and… kicked him in the stomach. When he doubled over, she grabbed a nearby bowl. "Too bad." And she knocked him over the head with it and sending him into an unconscious state.

With that, she searching his fine clothes for the key to his safe and she retrieved it.

* * *

**Location: Basement **

Due to Carissa's initial greeting with 'anybody home', all of the mercenaries planted in the estate came pouring in from their respective posts. That left the basement empty, and made it easier to find Aringoth's safe and more goodies to steal.

In the safe, there only a single item and that was the Goldenglow Bill of Sale. She hurriedly opened it and read it: the little elf had _sold _Goldenglow estate! But why would he do that? Wasn't Maven Black-Briar going to be really angry when she found out?

Well, there was no way Carissa could question why now: Aringoth was fast asleep.

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
10:07pm**

"Hey, Brynjolf! I got the job done!" Carissa gleefully stated, as she walked over to him in the center of the cistern.

The ever-so handsome red-headed Nord had his arms across his chest, and a puzzled look on his features. "… You own a _wolf_?"

That question caused Carissa to freeze, and eventually pull on a fake smile. "You… were watching me…" She chuckled. "Wow… So… so I wasn't good enough for you that I had to be _watched_?" She took it that way. "I am not a damn _child, _Brynjolf! I am 35 years old, for the love of Mara! 25 years of experience wasn't enough?"

He quickly held up one hand, realizing full well that he had upset her. "Whoa, lass, don't chew my head off now. It wasn't my call. I was ordered too." His voice dropped to a whisper.

She nodded. "Mercer…"

"He sort of… ran a check on you, Carissa," Brynjolf added. "You have quite the reputation."

"Well, I try not to boast…"

"You don't have to," He smiled. "Your actions spoke for itself. Trust me," He sat a hand on her shoulder. "What I saw there, was more than enough for me to know that you are strong. And damn scary to cross with."

"Well…" She grinned evilly. "Then you know that I burned down three hives, just like you wanted?"

"You did. Nice work," He complimented. "You do have what we want?"

"You're not going to like it," She fished out the Bill of Sale from her back pocket and handed it to him. "The Elf sold Goldenglow."

Brynjolf was appalled to hear that, but had to read the bill for himself. "Aringoth sold Goldenglow?! What was that idiot thinking?" He sighed, shaking his head. "He has no idea of Maven's fury when she's been cut out of a deal… What of Aringoth?"

"Ah, he seemed a little grumpy, so I helped him get some rest." She answered with a cheeky smile.

"Glad to know." He returned it with a smile of his own.

"See that little symbol there?" Carissa pointed at it. "That's the buyer. We just need to figure out who."

"Indeed. I'll speak to Mercer and check my sources," He folded the bill back. "You did good work today, Carissa. Mercer might not say it, but he'll be proud."

"Thank you. I aim to please."

"I bet you do, lass. Come. I'll set you up with your own bed and locker and you can get some rest. You're going back to Vex and Delvin tomorrow for more work." He informed her, wrapping an arm around her and taking her to an empty bed.

"I can hardly wait!" She squealed. "Today was a good day. Your sabre cat is fitting right in, isn't she?"

He could not prevent that chuckled from surfacing. "Indeed she is." _And I like what I'm seeing._

* * *

**A/N: Yes, Carissa is a *bit* psychotic. She's like an even badass-er version of Kayleigh (Runaway With My Heart), but just as scary as Anarine (A Single Nightshade). All will be revealed! ;) **

**Yep, Aringoth was actually an Altmer. I knew that after I wrote the chapter... and was too tired to change it x(  
**

**And wish me luck! It's after midnight so technically, I get my results today (17****th**** Dec)! x)**


	10. To Find The Past

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
29****th**** of Mid Year  
10:01am**

_**Jobs in Solitude  
Make changes in the ledger at The Winking Skeever**_  
_**Retrieve Bolgeir Bearclaw's Ruby from Bolgeir Bearclaw**_  
_**Plant the Stolen Flawless Ruby in Jala's House**_

_**Jobs in Markarth**_  
_**Make changes in the ledger at Silver Blood Inn**_  
_**Retrieve Hamal's Amethyst from Hamal**_  
_**Plant the Stolen Flawless Garnet in Nepos's House**_

_**Jobs in Whiterun  
****Make changes in the ledger at Whiterun Stables.  
Retrieve Acolyte Jenssen's Silver Sapphire Necklace from Acolyte Jenssen  
Plant the Stolen Flawless Emerald in Ysolda's House **_

_**Jobs in Windhelm  
Make changes in the ledger at New Gnisis Corner Club  
Retrieve Adonato Leotelli's Gold Ring from Adonato Leotelli  
Plant the Stolen Silver Jeweled Necklace in Viola Giordano's House **_

_**Jobs in Riften  
****Make changes in the ledger at The Pawned Prawn  
Retrieve Drifa's Gold Ring from Drifa  
Plant the Stolen Flawless Diamond in Marise Aravel's House **_

"Well… Mercer must be trying to tell me something…" Carissa murmured to herself, as she completed her list of jobs.

"Not really," She glanced up and found a familiar sweet face. Rune.

"What do you mean, sweetie? You know something?" Carissa asked amiably, twirling the quill in her fingers.

"Our latest client: she's heard about you, and wants you for the next job, but only if you really got what it takes," Rune explained, as he took a seat opposite Carissa. "Hence the multiple jobs Vex and Delvin gave you."

"So…" She sat the quill down. "You think that this… client is going to be watching me? See whether or not I have what it takes to do her job?"

The Imperial locked his fingers between each other. "That's what we all think, Carissa."

"Huh… well, if she _is _going to be watching me, I hope she can keep up," She said, smiling. "I can be pretty fast."

Rune chuckled. "I'll bet."

She continued to smile sweetly at the young Imperial. He could not be a day over 21. Such innocence. If only someone or something could let him know who he really is. Carissa knew that that was still lingering in his kind heart. He wanted answers. "Did you have any luck about your past, Rune?"

He smiled and shook his hand at her. "No, Carissa. I'm dropping that. Maybe I'm not supposed to know. Maybe it's for the best. Maybe it's protecting me somehow. Either way, I'm giving up."

"You can't give up, sweetie!" Carissa encouraged him on. "Dangerous or not, there might be something out there for you!"

"I should not try to chase the past, since it doesn't want to be found," He immediately countered. Looking at her, he fished out a folded letter and placed it on the table. "Even this man, Athel Newberry, he couldn't uncover my past. And he's supposed to be the best of the best. He couldn't even give me a single _thing_." He sighed heavily. "I'm just… going to leave it at that, Carissa." So saying with his small smile, he got up from the bench and left Carissa's sight.

"Oh, Rune…" She shook her head and sighed. There must be something she can do. Something…

"Trouble, lass?"

No matter what the circumstance, that accented voice was able to make her smile. "No, Bryn. Not at all. Join me."

Brynjolf took the seat opposite her. "I saw you talking to young Rune just now. Something wrong?"

She sighed. "Have you ever tried to help Rune find out about his past, Bryn?" She asked.

He ran a hand through his crimson hair. "Well, lass, it's a sad tale, but to sum it up: yes, and I was never able to get something for the young lad."

She sighed again, this time harder, and also in frustration. "It's so sad to see the sweetheart like this. I feel so bad for him…"

Brynjolf raised an eyebrow, and just had to question her. "Since when did you feel bad for people?"

"Shut up," She glared at him. "I'm serious this time… There has to be something I can do for him…"

"Well, whatever it is, lass, I'm sure it'll be brilliant." He deduced, hands behind his head.

She smiled at him. "Thanks," She decided to change the subject right then. "You mind telling me why I have _15 _jobs to tackle?"

"Ah, that, well…" He rubbed his light stubble, preparing to answer her question in delight. "A great client of ours has caught notice of you, little Rissa. She just wants you to handle a little more to see if you actually got what it takes to take on her job."

"But who is this woman?"

"It's a surprise."

She grumbled like a small spoilt child would. "Fine." She picked up her list. "This will keep me busy for at least a week, you know. Is that alright?"

"It's not up to me, lass," He said. "It's up to our client."

"Well then," She began to smile, bringing back the crazy smirk. "I'll be sure to _dazzle _her with my talents."

Brynjolf chuckled, a deep rumbling emerging from that baritone. "You do that, sabre cat," He then got up from his seat, and patted her shoulder. "And I know you will make me proud as always." Flashing another smile, he left her at the table.

The Breton smiled to herself just as a little voice in her head was squealing, _"Please chuckled again! Please!"_

However, Carissa's mind was on Rune, and how dejected he must be feeling. Her eyes fell on the letter he had shown her and realized that he had forgotten to take it back. Deciding to fuel her curiosity, she opened up the letter.

_**Rune,**_

_**I've used every source at my disposal and I still can't find a trace of your parents. Whoever they are, they've completely erased themselves from history. This is quite a feat considering the quality of my sources. If I come up with anything else, I'll be certain to contact you.**_

_**Athel Newberry**_

This letter, however, caused the thief-assassin to furrow her eyebrows. _Suspicious…_ she thought. _I don't buy this. Not one bit. Sorry, Rune. I know you don't want to chase the past anymore, thinking that it doesn't want to be found… but you're a member of this family. A family that I'm also a part of…_

_So if the past wants to hide, it's not going to work. Carissa is going to find it, and bring it home to you._

* * *

**A/N: Well... I think some of you know where I'm going with this... ;) And I've wanted to do this the first moment I met Rune! x)  
**

**Sorry it took a while! I fell terribly ill x(  
**

**But the good news is... I PASSED MY NATIONAL EXAMS! I'm gonna get to finish my last year of High School next year! :D**


	11. Chasing The Past

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Dawnstar  
6****th**** of Sun's Height  
11:26am**

"Athel Newberry?"

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"'_Rune, I've used every source at my disposal and I still can't find a trace of your parents. Whoever they are, they've completely erased themselves from history. This is quite a feat considering the quality of my sources. If I come up with anything else, I'll be certain to contact you. Athel Newberry'_. Do you know what this is? This is the letter you wrote to Rune, stating that you couldn't find anything about his parents. But you know what I think this is? I think… that it is full of garbage."

"E-excuse me?"

"Don't try to play dumb, Imperial. I can see that this letter is easily a fake. Trust me: I've written tons of them for clients. So I'm here for a simple reason, Newberry: the truth."

"This is highly-!"

"This is nothing compared to what I'll do to you, if you don't tell me the truth, Newberry! I've searched up and down for you, so I'm not about to stop here. I want the truth. I think Rune deserves it."

"I've already told him: there is nothing for him! There is absolutely no trace of his parents! None whatsoever!"

"You see, that's the problem! I. Don't. Buy it! Not one bit! Nobody just erases themselves from history! That's something the King of Skyrim would flawlessly do! We're talking about a ship that sank off the coast of Solitude, that's still there, according to some deep-sea divers I've spoken to! If it was SO important, that their names had to be erased, then why is that ship still there? You _know _something, Newberry. So spit it out."

* * *

**Location: Marcello's house, Solitude  
7****th**** of Sun's Height  
4:44pm **

"Pirates…"

"Yes. That's what we were. And we loved it. Marius and Priscilla Caesar were a husband and wife team. Very notorious back in the days. Marius was Captain of the ship and I was merely his first mate. But I knew that couple since we were all just children."

"And Rune? Was he to become a pirate too? Just like his parents?"

"Well, that was the whole idea, Breton."

"Carissa,"

"Yeah sure." He ignored Carissa and continued on. "When Priscilla told us of the news, it was all about making the little critter into a pirate, just like his old man. But… things change."

"Priscilla changed her mind, didn't she?" Carissa guessed from that mere sentence.

"Ahh, she must have been 7 months pregnant at the time? She started to wonder," He leaned forward in his chair. "She didn't want her child to grow up becoming notorious like his parents. She didn't want to have to drag him over the seas just to protect him. She would rather change, and give him a proper life, than the fun and exciting one we already had. She wanted safety and security for her child. So she took her thoughts to Marius."

"And what did he think?" She asked.

He faked a chuckle. "The fool tried to convince her that this life, what they had, was more than enough for him. That they could make this work for little Rune. But he was living in a lie, Marius. He knew this wouldn't work. He just didn't want to admit it."

"More like he didn't want to give up his exciting lifestyle," She deduced.

"You know what it's like, don't you… Carissa? Was that your name?"

"Yep," She confirmed, folding her arms across her chest.

He produced a small smile. "You're a thief, Carissa. And by the looks of it: an assassin as well. You've been in this business a long time. You know it's hard to break away from the things you love to do."

"Yes, but sometimes you have to give up what you love for someone else much more important."

"Heh…" He chuckled again, and tried not to let the coughs act up. "Marius couldn't grasp that. However, he was very happy to see Rune for the first time. I still remember the tears in his eyes… Marius managed to convince Priscilla that they stay at the sea and raise him."

"And Priscilla was alright with it?"

"On the grounds that they never pirate again," He said. "Marius agreed to it. So they changed up the ship, changed their names and continued to sail the seas for about 2 years after Rune was born."

"What happened after that?" She questioned.

"A decision to raise the family on land… and a storm." He said in a low voice, feeling a thousand stinging daggers hit him at once.

She leaned forward. "Explain it to me, old man."

He growled softly at that. "Before Rune's 2nd birthday, Marius finally decided that they should settle down on land and raise the family in a real house. No longer the sea. Just a simple house in a nice city, with nothing but pure bliss."

"That… never happened though."

"No…" He shook his head, more painful memories beginning to sting him. "They decided to head to Skyrim and stay there. We were going to dock in Solitude… but during the night, there was a violent storm. Roaring waves, unforgiving winds… it was bad…"

"Marcello, what happened? Tell me." She prompted him, although she knew it was about to hit where it hurt for old Marcello here.

Marcello took a deep breath, as well as a sip of his water. "The ship crashed just off shore of Solitude during the night. It was dark, but… I knew that everyone was dead. Including Rune's parents. So I gathered whatever I could from the wreck, grabbed the kid, and made my way to the city. The guards found us, and took us to safety."

"So… _you're _the fisherman who found Rune?" She laughed. "That's a great story you told him: finding him in the wreck and all."

Marcello glanced up at Carissa. "The kid must have taken quite the blow to the head during the crash because when he regained consciousness, he couldn't really recognize me. But then again, it might have something to do with the multiple scars on my face." He pointed at them.

"Makes you look threatening though."

"Gee, thanks…"

"Seriously though: it must have been the crash. What then?"

"Well…" He leaned back against his chair, sighing. "I raised the kid in Riften, pretending to be some… fisherman who found him. I tried to raise him he started to get in trouble with the law. Started thieving," He snarled at that. "So I told him to make a choice: either change, or get lost. As you can tell, he… got lost…"

"And you never saw him again,"

"Nope… That was 12 years ago; the boy was almost 12. I didn't know where he went or how he was. So I moved back to Solitude." Marcello then smirked at Carissa. "Then you came along, Breton, and 'politely' demanded me to tell you what I knew."

"Sorry… Just trying to get the sweetheart some answers." Carissa scratched the back of her head embarrassingly.

"And I guess it's time he knew the truth anyway. I just wished I had the guts to tell him the first time around,"

"You know, it's not easy to tell a child something this big,"

He nodded. "I know…"

Carissa tilted her head slightly at him. "Why did you move back to Solitude?" She knew there was deeper reason for it.

He gazed out of his window. "Something had made me want to move back… and be close to the wreck. I owe it to Marius and Priscilla to take care of their kid. But as you can see, I failed terribly."

"He was just a kid. Having adventurous parents, it's only natural that he developed those traits," She tried to reason.

"Yes, but I must've tried everything to change him! I didn't want him to end up like his parents!"

"Unfortunately, that wasn't for you to decide, old man. I hate to say it."

Marcello nodded in agreement and leaned back against his chair. "No… you're right, Carissa. Do me a favor, would you? See the bookshelf? Top right shelf, the black journal,"

Carissa raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I _look _like I'm tall enough to reach that, old man?"

"You have my permission to use my furniture to your advantage then," He chuckled.

After using a stool, Carissa successfully retrieved the black journal. "What's this?"

"Priscilla's journal. I want you to give it to Rune."

"Priscilla had a journal?"

"Yep. She made little entries every time she could," He then sighed. "You have no idea how many times I had wanted to sit that boy down and tell him everything…"

Carissa kept the journal close to her heart and nodded. "It's hard…"

"It always is…"

"Um, before I go…" Carissa had almost forgotten. "The little stone with the strange runes on them…"

Marcello chuckled heartily this time. "I knew you'd ask about that! That was… a gift that Marius made for the boy for his 2nd birthday."

"_Marius_ drew the runes on the stone?"

"Yep. Wanted to give it to his son on his birthday…. But you know that that day never came." He glanced at him.

"And out of curiosity… what was the name that his parents gave Rune?"

"…Darius."

"Darius…"

"Yes."

"…Doesn't suit him."

"My first thought exactly."

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
8****th**** of Sun's Height  
7:21pm**

"Lass! You're finally back!"

Carissa giggled at the red-haired man who spread his arms wide open for the thief-assassin. "Hello to you too, Brynjolf. Did you miss me?"

"Sure, why not?" Brynjolf said. "And how were your jobs?"

"Every single one of them done," She informed. "By any chance, was that client of yours watching me?"

"More than that, little Rissa: she was impressed," He said. "She had a few spies in all of the cities you tackled. All of them had good reviews about you."

She almost blushed. "Well, I don't like to brag…"

"You're hired for this client's job, Carissa," He quickly told her. "Meet her in the Bee and Barb tomorrow at noon. Don't be late."

She gently jabbed him in the chest. "You still haven't told me who's the client, silly!"

He smiled warmly at her. "You can find out for yourself tomorrow, lass. It's a surprise, remember?"

"Alright then. Thank you, Bryn!" She leaned in and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Now if you'll excuse me… I have another business to take care of." So excusing herself, she made her way to Rune's bed, where he sat there, staring at his little stone.

Brynjolf did not leave the center of the cistern, but instead continued to look on with curiosity. _What are you up to, sabre cat? _

"Rune?"

The young Imperial glanced up at Carissa and was pleased to see him. "Oh hello, Carissa! It's good to see you!" He shot up from his seat and pocketed the stone.

"You too, sweetie," She held her smile.

"I heard you had tons of jobs to tackle this time? How were they?" He questioned with that innocence.

She nodded and continued to smile. "They were good. Really good." But Carissa decided not to stall anymore. She held up Priscilla Caesar's journal to Rune. "Rune, you need to have this."

Though confused, Rune accepted it. "What is this, Carissa?"

She bit her lower lip. "It's… the journal of your mother."

She could have sworn the color was pumped out from his fair face. He said nothing, but she could tell that there was millions of questions coming to his mind.

Carissa smiled slightly and patted his shoulder. "Take a seat, sweetie. It's a long, long story."

* * *

**A/N: Carissa takes care of her family members x) **

**I hope you like my take on Rune's past! It was fun to do!  
**

**It's already 25th Dec here in Singapore, so Merry Christmas, all! Love you all very much x)**


	12. Company

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
8****th**** of Sun's Height  
7:35pm**

"And then when you contacted Athel Newberry and he traced it to Marcello, Marcello paid him just enough to shut his mouth,"

"Carissa…" That was the first thing Rune managed to deliver after a long silence.

"Look, I know… this is hard for you, Rune, but… Marcello only wanted to protect you," She said. "You have to understand. People do things for a reason. This was his for not telling you."

The Imperial looked as if he was going to cry; he was struggling to keep the tears in. "The information was right in front of me this whole time… and I didn't know."

"Rune, you _weren't_ supposed to know," She sat a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Marcello just wanted to protect you. Sometimes it's… it's best not to know your past. You might never know when it'll come around and hurt you. Your parents were pirates. Anybody could be looking for them till this day. And if they knew about you…"

"Then they would come after me," He faked a laugh. "Marcello _knew _about everything the _entire _time…"

Carissa knew that the young thing was still confused. And hurt. And disappointed. So she gave him a smile and said, "Read the journal, Rune. You might like its content. Your mother was secretly a gifted writer. And you should see all the sweet things she wrote about you." Patting his shoulder, she got up and was about to walk away.

But Rune stopped her. "Wait! Carissa!" He shot up from his seat. "You… you didn't have to do this."

"Oh, but I did."

"But why?" That was the only thing he could not get.

Carissa smiled sweetly at him again. "Well, Rune…" She placed a hand on his cheek. "I couldn't bear to see the forlorn look on this sweet face every time you looked at the little stone. And you HAVE to understand: _I do what I want._"

The only thing Rune could give her was a smile and the words, "Thank you."

"Just take your time, sweetie. And make sure you visit Marcello and talk this out," She said. "Don't worry: just run to Vex or Delvin for a job in Solitude, then come to me: I'll get you his address."

"You're the best, Carissa!" He was ready to squeal. "It's a blessing to have you around!"

"Well, I don't want to brag, but…"

The two began to chuckle at each other. Following that, Carissa gave him one more smile, and then made her way to her own bed, heart filled with content and flashing nothing but smiles.

* * *

**10:47pm**

"More iron daggers?"

"Yep. Lost a couple in several bandits' backs and necks," Carissa causally replied, as she continued to hide them within her Thieves Guild armor.

Brynjolf chuckled softly at that. "Have you always been like that, Carissa?"

"Like what?" She glanced up at him from her armor. "Funny, sarcastic and threatening? Or sweet, pretty and full of fun?" She smirked at him.

He could not prevent a real laugh from coming. "I'll agree with all of it, Carissa," He sat beside her on her bed. "Except for the pretty part,"

She arched as eyebrow at him. "Oh really?"

"Yes really, sabre cat," He turned to her. "You should have said gorgeous instead,"

Carissa was _not _expecting that. Not one bit. She was attempting to conceal a shy grin at that, but was failing terribly. "Oh um well… thank you?"

"You sound like you're uncertain of that,"

"Yeah well…" She smiled. "When you're like me and you come off as snarky, intimidating and a complete bitch to every one… not a lot of men find that attracting."

"You could change, you know," He stated the obvious.

"Nah, Bryn…" She shook her head. "I'm not looking to settle down and have a real relationship or anything. I've only had my fair share of lovers in the past whom I enjoyed the company of. But none of them were family-material, you know? But then again," She slipped another iron dagger into a hidden area of the armor. "In our line of work, _nobody _looks to settle down."

Brynjolf nodded at that, understanding completely. "True, lass. I know where you're coming from."

She glanced at him. "Are you 'enjoying' the company of someone at the moment?" She curiously asked.

He smiled at her. "As a matter of fact, lass, I am."

Carissa didn't know what it was, but something inside of her cried out _'NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'. _"Oh? Who?"

"I'm talking to her right now,"

She turned her head back to him, eyes widened. "What? Bryn! I'm not your lover!"

"Nooo, but I enjoy your company, don't I?" He continued to smile. As he got up, he stood in front of her and said, "Oh, but don't let it confuse you, little Rissa, I may enjoy your company, but it doesn't mean I won't use my charm to make you my lover,"

Carissa laughed at him. "I'd like to see you try, handsome. I'd _really _like to see you try…"

"Who knows?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe if I like you enough,"

She laughed sarcastically at him. "Yeah right, Bryn…"

"But on another note, Carissa… that thing you did for Rune? That was really generous of you," He complimented. "Nobody has showed that much compassion to him as you have. You pretty much gave him his past back."

"I'm… pretty sure that was my intention…" She raised an eyebrow at him.

Brynjolf shook his head at her. "Always the sarcastic one, aren't you?"

"I thought you said you liked that about me!" She defended.

"Hm. I guess I do," He said. "Remember to meet your client tomorrow, sabre cat. Don't be late. And please _don't _try to take any attitude with her. She can easily cut you."

"Well, that depends on who she is, and what she says to me, Bryn. But…" She dragged tat last word, and also gave a say. "Because you are requesting it, I'll hold my tongue and be a good little girl."

He smiled once again. "Thank you, Carissa."

"Oh, you're SO WELCOME, Brynjolf…"

Smirking at her one more time, he left her sight to return to the Ragged Flagon, leaving Carissa to her armor. All she could think about what Brynjolf's comment about making her his lover. _Hmph. Nothing like that had ever happened. And it isn't going to happen now…_

… _But I'm glad he enjoys my company._

* * *

**A/N: A short chapter, but I hope the fluff makes up for it! x)  
**

**I'll try to have the next chapter up on New Year's Day :) I return to school on the 2nd of January ;_;**


	13. Dampened Spirits

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: The Bee and Barb, Riften  
9****th**** of Sun's Height  
12:00pm **

"So, you must be the one. Hm. You don't look _so _impressive…"

"… Who are you?"

"Didn't Brynjolf explain to you?"

Carissa turned her full body to this mysterious woman. "He said it was surprise. I still don't know who you are."

"Oh really? Well, with a name like Black-Briar, I'd expect everyone to know."

"Oh? OH, so you're Maven Black-Briar! Well, it's finally nice to meet you! You're the one practically running my city, eh?" Carissa placed her hands on her hips. "I admire you for that. So. What can I do for you?"

As much as Maven Black-Briar wanted to question this woman, the fact that she went to the point captured her attention more. "It's about time Brynjolf sent me someone with business sense. I was beginning to think he was running some sort of beggar's guild over there…"

Carissa winced at that. "Everybody has their bad luck every now and then," She defended, but she also remembered her promise to Brynjolf not to lose her cool. "You know what? Nevermind. What is it exactly I need to do for you?"

"Head to the Bannered Mare in Whiterun and look for Mallus Maccius. He'll fill you in on all the details. Now go," Maven instructed. "Don't waste any more time. This is far too important."

"As you wish." Carissa obeyed, and left for the door. _Bitch…_

* * *

**Location: On the way to Whiterun!**

"Alright. So it turns out, Maya: this Mallus Maccius is a Guild associate who plans to ruin his master, Sabjorn's business at the Honningbrew Meadery. The Captain of the Guard is coming for a tasting and I'm supposed to poison the mead. But here's the best part: he didn't give me the poison. Sabjorn is going to give it to me! Know how? Apparently, the meadery has quite the pest problem. So I'm going to just happen along and 'help' the Nord out. Shouldn't be too difficult, right, Maya? I mean, I _am _good at deceiving people…"

_You don't even know how good you are, Rissa,_ Maya thought, as she wagged her tail and walked side by side her master as they made their way to the Honningbrew Meadery. _I swear, you're a natural. _Maya then barked at her.

Carissa acknowledged what her companion was trying to say. "I know, sweetie: I won't give him any attitude. I need to get into that boiler room as poison it. I'll just pretend I'm going to the basement to poison the Skeevers, but I'll work my way around and head to the boiler room. It's locked up tight, but there's no locks we can't handle, right Maya?"

Maya gave her what looked like a disappointed look.

Carissa stopped and looked at her. "Oh yeah… You can't come in with me… Whoops…"

Maya wagged her tail again. _It's alright, Rissa! You can do this! Make me proud!_

* * *

**Location: Honningbrew Meadery, Whiterun  
5:12pm**

"And who just YOU might you be?"

"I'm going to keep it short, Sabjorn: I know you have a… 'little' pest problem here, and I'm willing to help out,"

"Oh really?" Sabjorn folded his arms across his chest. "Just like that? I don't have _that _kind of luck!"

Carissa laughed. "Accept my help before I yell 'Skeever', Sabjorn,"

"I hope you're not expecting to get paid for this, Breton…"

Carissa stared at him, before yelling, "SKEEVE-"

"Alright, alright!" He raised his hands to shut her up. "I'll pay you after the job is done. Now get going to the basement!"

"See? That wasn't so hard, right? Geez, just accept some help every now and then, Sabjorn…"

"Forgive me if I'm skeptical, but I have a good-for-nothing assistant!"

* * *

**Later… **

"Oh," When Carissa emerged from the door to the basement once again, standing near the counter was a Whiterun Guard, and behind the counter was Sabjorn. "Hi," She gave a little wave. She also sported Mallus Maccius in the corner.

"Greetings, citizen."

"Oh, this citizen was just leaving!" Sabjorn came out from behind the counter and lead Carissa, who was a little confused, to the front doors of the Meadery. "Weren't you, miss?"

"What about my pay, Nord?" Carissa whispered frantically.

"You'll just have to wait! I've been stalling him along enough!" He continued to push her out the front doors.

_Oh, you little… _"Fine! I'll wait outside!" Huffing, she exited the meadery herself, while she straightened her robes.

Sighing, but satisfied with her work, Carissa sat on a large rock just outside of the meadery and arched her back. Just when she thought that the Skeevers were bad enough, there was a crazy _Breton _living down there! And he almost close to incinerating Carissa with his high-leveled magic spells. Thankfully, due to her small size, she was quick on her feet, and managed to dodge most of the spells.

Just then, Maya came running up to Carissa and surprised her with a tackle hug. _Carissa! Did you do what you needed to do?_

"Oh, hey Maya!" She giggled. "We're just waiting out here for the results. Any moment now…"

And sure enough, Sabjorn was being dragged out of his meadery, and brought to Whiterun where the Dragonreach cells awaited him. And when the Captain of the Guards was not looking, Carissa blew a little kiss to Sabjorn, who scowled at her.

"Well I'll be damned! It actually worked!" Mallus came up to her in smiles. "You're really something, Carissa."

"I know," She smiled. "But right now, I need to get to Sabjorn's books."

"You want to identify his silent partner, right?" Mallus guessed. "No problem. He usually keeps his papers stashed in his desk. Here," From his pocket, he fished out a key and handed it to her. "This should help."

"Aw, thanks, handsome!" She accepted the key with a wide smile. "This will help! But first things first…" She glanced at him, and then swept her hand across his face. Hard.

"OW!" Mallus yelped, and rubbed his swollen cheek. "What was THAT for?!"

Carissa glared at him. "Thanks for telling me about the mad old Breton living in the damned tunnels!"

* * *

**A/N: So I'm back in school. Hope it explains the long wait ;_; Sorry all I could dish out was a short chapter!  
**

**If it helps, I'll be going into Carissa's past in a bit! Give it a few more chapters! :)**


	14. Shadows and Daggers

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
10****th**** of Sun's Height  
8:47pm **

Brynjolf was minding his own business when he suddenly interrupted by the loud clang of a sword connecting with his table. When he looked down, there was a glass sword on his table. "What in the-" He then glanced to his left, and found Carissa standing next to him, wearing what appeared to be… an unhappy face.

"What am I supposed to do with _that_?"

Brynjolf arched an eyebrow, took another look at the glass sword and then back at her. "Beg your pardon, lass?"

"That glass sword, Brynjolf!" She pointed at it. "What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Well for starters," He picked it up and inspected it. "You can stab someone with it,"

She gave an irritated 'tsk' and sat opposite him. "That is a glass sword, Brynjolf. And not just _any _glass sword, but a sword that lets me light people on fire! You think you can tell me what I can _do _with a sword that lights people on fire?"

"Um…" He thought for a bit. "You can, for one, light people on fire,"

She glared at him. "I crawled through a dirty tunnel and fought giant Skeevers and their mad master to get what I need, only to know that Miss High-and-Mighty gives me a stupid sword instead of gold?!"

"Well, you like Glass weapons, don't you?" He pointed out. "At least there's a plus point!"

"Shadows and daggers, Brynjolf," She said strictly. "As a thief and an assassin, those are two important words I live by!" She held up two fingers. "I don't carry around SWORDS!"

"Alright, alright, lass!" He held up two hands in truce. "Calm down! Why are you getting worked up for just a sword? Sell it: you should get a little something."

"I better…"

But Brynjolf had one too many late-night talks with this woman to know what was troubling her. "Maven gave you attitude, didn't she? And you just stood there and took it."

She clapped sarcastically for him. "Congratulations, Bryn! You've cracked the case!"

"I'm serious," He cracked a smile. "You know, despite what Maven is capable of, I'd have expected you to fight back."

Carissa looked at him. "You told me to watch my attitude, so I did. Honestly, I didn't _care _ if she was a Thieves Guild client. I would give a mouthful that she would _never _forget,"

"But you didn't,"

"Because you told me not to!"

He raised another eyebrow. "Oh? You didn't so anything because _I _told you not to?"

"…" She was silent. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing," He smiled, trying so darn hard to hide a cheeky one.

"Look, Bryn, you have to understand one thing:" She leaned forward. "I would do _anything _for that handsome face of yours. But try not to hold it against me, will you?"

"Hmm…" He tapped his chin in thought. "Maybe I won't."

"… What does that mean?"

"Nothing." He smiled again.

But Carissa knew that there was something going on inside that brain of his. Darn it, why were handsome Nord men SO hard to decipher? _Especially _this Nord?

"Anyway, Carissa…" Brynjolf decided to switch topics, ruining her train of thought. "Maven sent in the word while you were returning back. The same symbol of Goldenglow was involved I see."

"Yep," She nodded. "So you now know that this is beyond coincidence. Someone out there is trying to take this family down, Bryn. And we can't let that happen!"

"I hear you, lass," He said. "Mercer thinks he might be able to track down this mysterious menace. He's working on something, and will let you know as soon as he can. So don't go far, yeah? Take up some Riften jobs."

"Alright," She said. "But tonight?" She arched her back. "I just want to relax. Damned Skeevers and that crazy Breton…"

"What really happened, Carissa?" He decided to fuel his curiosity.

Letting go of a big sigh, she rested her head on her hand. "Down in the tunnels, there was an old crazy Breton living there, and he made all the Skeevers twice their normal size and made them into his personal pets! And to add onto my luck, he was casting spells at me like I was some kind of insect to be crushed! With fire, ice and sparks, that is…" She massaged the back of her neck. "Can't say I'm alright. He really did a number on me."

"Hold it right there, lass," So saying, Brynjolf shot up from his seat. "Turn around,"

"Sorry, what?" She blinked at him.

By then, he had made his way to her side of the table and sat with her. "Turn around. Let's see what I can do to help with these aches."

She laughed. "What – You're going to give me a massage?"

"If you'd allow me to, lass. But we can't have you whimperin' in pain, can we?" He said. "You'll make my knees weak,"

She could not help but laugh again. "And you think your giant, rough hands can work on my back like you should a stubborn lock?"

He smiled. "Why not? I beat Cynric, don't I?"

"Oh yeah? What makes you say that?"

"The ladies who have been with us both."

She widened her eyes at that. "Um… Why don't you just work your magic, handsome?"

_Don't mind if I do. _"Just trust me, sabre cat. You'll be good in no time."

_Please don't paralyze me. _"If you say so."

Brynjolf gently placed his hands on both her shoulders and softly squeezed. Carissa did not know why exactly, but the moment that connection was established, she felt her heart race… but she also slowly felt the aches fading away miraculously, as he moved his hands from her shoulders to her upper back and to her lower back.

But why was she surprised? With hands as dexterous as those, surely some of the skills go into massaging…?

Carissa tried to stop her mind from wondering away, but the delight she felt right now was making her do otherwise. _Damn you, Brynjolf, and your handsome face and your smile and your hands and your handsome face and your-_

"You alright there, lass?" He then asked.

"Huh?" She was still tuned into la-la land. "Oh! I'm fine! I'm feeling better already, Brynjolf! You're simply magic!"

_Tell me something I don't know, little Rissa. _"I'm not applying too much pressure on you?"

"Nope. It's fine!" She said. _The pressure's all going to my heart instead! _

"Then try to relax, Carissa," He said, chuckling. "You're a little too stiff. I'm not going to hurt you now." _I'll never do that to you._

She smiled to herself. "I know you won't, Bryn." Carissa tried her very best to melt into the calmness she was feeling right now and ignore her beating heart that could very well jump out of her chest.

* * *

**A/N: So... anybody want a massage from Bryn? **

**I AM EMBARRASSED OF EVERY SENTENCE! I REGRET NOTHING!  
**

**Kainen-no-Kitsune - Lol, she's not! Those are just Maya's known thoughts x) **

**So I decided to give you guys this soley Rissa-Bryn chapter, because I'm afraid school might engulf me next week. I'm going to have updates every weekends now, but I will upload a chapter if I have it ready. School's hard right now (final year) so I hope you all can bear with me!  
**

**:)  
**


	15. Tomatoes for Breakfast

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
11****th**** of Sun's Height  
10:26am **

"Carissa!"

"… You yelled, boss?"

"I did! Get over here!"

"On my way!" Carissa kept the iron dagger and the sharpening stone aside on her nightstand and hurried over to the desk of Mercer Frey, her Guild Master. He was overlooking a large book when she arrived. "What do you need, boss?"

"Our adversary who has been trying to take us apart indirectly angering Maven Black-Briar… I think I may have a clue as to get us started," Mercer informed, still keeping his eyes on the book.

"Oh?" She folded her arms across her chest.

"Yes," He finally looked up at her. "It _is _rather clever of them: being well-funded, patient and sneaky enough to avoid identification for years, they were easily about to get away with it all."

Carissa shifted her feet. "You sound like you're impressed, boss,"

"Now, now, little assassin," He held up a hand. "Don't mistake my admiration for complacency. Our nemesis _is _going to pay. Dearly."

"So what do you have?" She asked.

"This 'Gajul-Lei' mentioned on of the parchments…" Mercer flipped a previous page. "According to my sources, it's an old alias that one of our contacts used. His real name is Gulum-Ei. Slimy bastard…"

"Oooh," She smiled, but gave a wince at that. "Sounds painful, boss,"

"Not important, Carissa," He quickly dismissed that. "Gulum-Ei is our inside man at the East Empire Company in Solitude. I bet on all the gold and jewels in our treasury that he acted as a go-between for the sale of Goldenglow Estate and that he can finger out buyer." He closed the book and glanced at her, seriousness in his eyes and once again, not allowing Carissa to blink. "Get over to Solitude and do what you apparently, are best at, and see what you can come up with. Talk to Brynjolf before you leave if you have any questions. But hurry: I don't want Gulum-Ei slipping away."

"Understood, boss. I'll leave right away." She nodded, and left his desk.

"And don't even _think _of killing him, Carissa! I don't care if you can make his body disappear!"

She shut her eyes tightly and sighed to herself. "Yes, boss!" She assured. _Damn…_ Just as she was heading back to her bed, she spotted her favorite Imperial. "Rune!" She called out to him sweetly.

"Oh, hello, Carissa!" He greeted with a warm smile, just exultant to see the woman who literally, gave him back his past. "Good morning!"

"And good morning to you too, sweetie!" She gave him a big hug. "Now, where did you go yesterday? Didn't even say bye to me when you left yesterday morning!"

"Oh I'm sorry, Carissa," He scratched the back of his head embarrassingly, as he kept his silly little smile. "But I was in Solitude."

"For a job?"

"N-no…" He shook his head. "I… went to see Marcello."

Well, Carissa was not expecting that. She managed to nod at him understandingly. "I see… So did everything go well?"

"Well, I'll sum it up for you, Carissa," He slipped his hands in his pockets. "He can't accept what I am now, but he's thankful that I'm still alive."

"He did tell you everything, right? From start to end?"

"Everything," He nodded. "Including my given name."

"Darius? Seriously?" She laughed. "Stick with Rune. It suits this handsome face better." She lovingly patted his cheek.

"Thanks, Carissa. You've done so much for me." He thanked with all his heart.

"Like I said, it was nothing much, Rune. I like doing things for people who are nice to me." She smiled.

"You literally gave me my past back," He pointed out with an arched eyebrow. "That is what I get for being nice to you?"

"Well… yeah!" She admitted with a cheeky smile. "Look, Rune, you're a sweet thing. And a sweet thing like you should have _never_ had a past like that. And besides, you can't blame me and my never-ending curiosity. I just like discovering things." She then looked at him, with affection in her eyes. "Especially when it's something that someone had wanted for so long."

Rune was in smiles – grateful ones.

She ran a hand through his hair like a mother would to comfort him. "You're like the son I've always wanted, Rune. So don't blame me if I like doting on you."

"I won't. I swear." He promised with that adorable innocence he had.

* * *

**10:34am **

"Bryn!"

"… You yelled, Carissa?"

"I need information!" The Breton skipped to his side.

"Ah. Mercer mentioned that you're going to Gulum-Ei. I still can't believe he's in this!" Brynjolf exclaimed. "That Argonian can't find his tail with both hands!"

That brought out a giggle from Carissa. "Really? Well, I'd like to test that out. Is he going to give me problems?"

"Are you kiddin', lass?" He crossed his arms across his chest. "That lizard is as stubborn as a cow. In fact, worse than a cow! You really have your work cut out for you. And speaking of cutting…"

"I know, I know!" She rolled her eyes. "I _won't_ kill him and make it look like an accident…"

"Alright," He trusted her. "If all else fails, just pay him. That always works."

She pulled a sad puppy-like face. "But I want to keep my coin!"

"Not this time, sabre cat," The Nord hated to break it to her.

She sighed in greater frustration. "FINE. I'll bribe the little reptile. I'll follow him too, see if he leads me anywhere."

"Good idea. You're leaving now?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yep."

"And how's your back now?"

"My wha-? OH! Yes, my back!" Her cheeks flushed. "Yes, my back is-is fine now. It's fine. No twisted muscles. It's… fine." Just that mere meaningless sentence brought her mind back to last night and how his massage not only cured her aching back, but also set her heart to race.

Brynjolf tried his hardest to hold back a smirk. "You're blushing, Carissa,"

"What?" She quickly exclaimed. "No I'm not!"

"I can see the redness in those pinch-able cheeks of yours, sabre cat," He teased, pointing a finger at her. "You're as bright as a tomato right now."

"I… had tomatoes for breakfast!" She quickly defended failingly. "I HAVE TO GO, BRYN." Blurting out, she attempted to disappear from his sight, although it was not saving her.

But Brynjolf was enjoying this. He enjoyed watching as his protégé hurried off like a shy young woman would after talking to her love interest. It appeared that his little massage started something in her. And it definitely more than fireworks, if that was possible.

He had never met a woman as bold and daring as Carissa. Pretty, maybe. This flirtatious? Nope. But it never bothered him in the first place!

There was no way he was going to let this one go, no matter how quick on her feet she was. She could blend with the shadows and use all the diversions she wanted, but Brynjolf knew _exactly _how to find her.

Now, if he could only find the way to her heart and steal it.

The red-headed Nord smirked to himself, and was patiently going to wait until his little sabre cat would return from Solitude.

* * *

**A/N: I really hope it's okay now for the two to start having feelings for each other! x(  
**

**Seriously, fanfiction? 'Failingly' is not a word?  
**

**ZealousPhoenix245 - OMFG! XD I HOPE YOU'RE OKAY! XD **


	16. Scoundrel's Folly

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Brynjolf and Carissa –"Stealing Hearts"**

* * *

**Location: On the way to Solitude!  
11th of Sun's Height  
2:16pm**

"HELP ME, MAYA…"

_For the love of Hircine, Rissa.,I can't help you! Unless you can hear my thoughts!_

"What do I do about Brynjolf? Do you think he's trying to charm me and cross me over to his world?"

_That's… exactly what he's doing, by the looks of it. _

"Is…it bad that I _think _I want to, though…?"

_Not really. Got a glimpse of him. He's alright, I guess. Wait – you _think_?_

"Oh, I don't know, Maya! I'm so confused! I've never had a feeling like this before. I've been trying SO hard not to fall for that red-headed Nord, but IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING."

_How was the massage? _

"You know me, Maya. You know of my past. You know how I don't like to commit to relationships. They never work out… They _never _have… because all men want the same thing…"

_Alright… So why do you think Brynjolf is any different?_

"But why do I think that Bryn is different? Why do I feel like he isn't like every other man? You think I should… talk to Sapphire? I remember her mentioning something about that…"

_Go ahead. If it'll clear up your doubts._

"You know I hate to admit it but… Brynjolf _is _an impressive hunk of Nord… Is it true what they say about Nord men? That they make the best lovers?

_I wouldn't know!_

"Honestly speaking, Maya… I don't need Brynjolf to do anything extraordinary. Hey, he doesn't even need to use that Nord charm on me. I think I'm already falling for him. But if he can just promise me love and even more, _protection_… then I'm his."

* * *

**Location: Solitude  
7:46pm**

The black night had descended upon Solitude when Carissa entered the city. Maya, her pet wolf was going to wait outside of the city as usual, so as to not draw attention or get arrowed at by the city guards.

Maya was, if not, a little overprotective of her owner. They had been together for a good 4 years now, ever since Carissa saved her when she was just a newborn from bandits. Carissa took care of her, raised her, and trained her to be a killer. Maya would put her life down for the Breton. She would do anything for her.

So she only hoped that this Brynjolf would take care of her just as well as Maya had thus far.

* * *

**Location: The Winking Skeever **

"Hm… by your scent, I'd say you are from the Guild. But that can't be possible since I told Mercer that I don't deal with then anymore."

Carissa flashed a smile. "I'm here about Goldenglow Estate, Argonian."

Gulum-Ei gave a low chuckle. "I don't deal with land or property. If you're looking for goods, then you've come to the right person,"

"Drop the act. Gajul-Lei."

That certainly changed things. Gulum-Ei was rendered to silence for a short while. "Oh, did you say Goldenglow? Heh heh, my apologizes. I know very little of it."

"Don't give me that," Carissa shook her head. "You acted as the broker. I _know_, Gulum-Ei, or Gajul-Lei. WHATEVER your name is, I DON'T CARE. I'm here for the truth. What will it take? 100 gold? 200? Or you can just… spill the truth, and I don't have to cut your little horns off and retrieve my money back…"

The Argonian tried to swallow his fear, but to no avail. "Alright, alright! Had I had known this would give me so much trouble, I would never accepted the gold!"

"Talk,"

"I was approached by this woman who wanted to act as a broker for something. All I had to do was to give Aringoth the gold and hand her the deed to Goldenglow," He said.

"Why was she doing this though?" She questioned.

Gulum-Ei then laughed nervously. "I tend not to ask too many questions when I'm on the job. I'm sure you understand."

Right then and there, Carissa knew something was up. Something big. She knew that the Argonian was not going to willingly give her everything. She had to corner him in a tight spot for that. "Yeah. I do." She agreed.

"Well then," Gulum-Ei finished his tankard of mead and placed it on the table. He got up to his feet and smiled at her. "Now, if that it all, I really must be going. Give Mercer my regards."

"Sure thing, Gulum-Lei. I mean, Gajul-Ei. I MEAN… Gulum-Ei…"

Gulum-Ei, smiled, and almost hurried away from her and exited the inn. This was not over. Carissa decided to give it some time before she would begin her shadowing. And if her past experiences told her anything, then she was going to expect some trouble.

Good thing she had Maya with her.

* * *

**Location: East Empire Trading Warehouse**

With silence, stealth and an abnormally large amount of patience, Carissa and Maya had followed Gulum-Ei and he led them to one of the doors leading to the East Empire Trading Warehouse. She was sure that there was going to be a possibility of losing the Argonian inside there. Thankfully, Maya was able to recognize his scent.

So when the Breton and the wolf entered the warehouse, they watched in silence as Gulum-Ei made his way deeper into the warehouse. This warehouse had large trading ships in it. Most items were stocked on the left side of the warehouse, where Carissa and Maya were. They witnessed as the Argonian travelled to the opposite corner and disappear.

Now, the ladies had a problem: there were several East Empire Wardens patrolling the warehouse. They were all carrying two-handed weapons and were wearing steel armor. This was going to be _a little _tough, but this time, Carissa had Maya with her. This was going to take a tiny bit longer, but killing all of them was doable.

_However, _Carissa thought, _if I can just sneak-kill a few of them, it would make things easier…_

The tall and occupied shelves on their side could make good cover and shield them from the other wardens on the opposite shore. Perfect!

Time to get the party started.

* * *

**Later…**

"GAH! MORE BANDITS! THIS IS JUST TERRIBLE!"

Maya understood Carissa's outrage because she knew that her owner hated Bandits just as much as how Sheogorath hated indecision. And to see that the warehouse also had Bandit patrols, well… that also sucked for her.

"Get him, Maya!"

If Carissa didn't know it better, she was having the time of her life. So many bandits to kill! She only hoped that all the noise she and Maya were making would not alarm Gulum-Ei. Luckily, Maya could sniff him out wherever he and his tail were.

"GULUM-EI, YOU LYING SACK OF-"

"Now, now!" Gulum-Ei held up his hands the moment he spotted Carissa and Maya finishing off the last two bandits. He was cowering in a corner, unable to move out of the fear that Carissa or her wolf might get the jump on him. "There's no need to do anything rash! Please! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! And I was going to tell Mercer, I swear!"

"TALK." She demanded, trying to catch her breath. "And maybe Mercer doesn't have to know."

"Karliah, alright?" He tried not to be scared. "Her name is Karliah."

"Karliah?" She was confused. "Who's that?"

"Mercer never told you about her?" The Argonian himself was confused.

"I don't think he likes me very much, so no: he didn't tell me. But you can."

"Well, Karliah was the thief responsible for murdering Gallus, the previous Guild master," He said. "Now, she's after Mercer."

Gallus? That name was familiar. Didn't one of her beloved family members mention that name and told her not to ask about it? Looks like it was time she did. "And you're helping her?"

"What?" He was appalled. "No! I swear! I didn't know it was her until she met with me face-to-face!"

Carissa didn't know whether to fully trust him, but considering how badly his tail was shaking, he was spilling what he knew. "So where is she now? Do you know?"

"I'm not sure. When I questioned her, all she mumbled was 'Where the End Began'."

"Sounds cryptic. Maybe Mercer might know," She then looked at Gulum-Ei. "So don't you see, Gulum-Ei? If you had told me this in the beginning, we wouldn't have to have gone through so much trouble!"

"I'll make it up to you!" He held up his hands. "Remember when I said you can come to me for goods? Well, I'm offering my services. You come here with things you don't own, and I'll pay you. And vice versa." He offered.

"Hm…" Well, with an offer like that… "Alright. I won't kill you for making me have to kill next to 30 people. You've got yourself a deal. Come on, Maya."

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
12th of Sun's Height  
1:11am **

"Lass! You're back!"

_Oh dear Gods… Be still, my little black heart. _"Hello to you too, Brynjolf!"

Brynjolf assisted his protégé as she climbed down the secret ladder that led her from the Riften graveyard to the Cistern. "There we go. So, you've done what you needed in Solitude?"

"Yep. And you wouldn't believe the things I got out of that little lizard. WITHOUT giving him any of my gold! Oh, excuse me a moment…" She held up a finger. Then, she glanced at the secret entrance se had just entered from. "Come on, Maya! I got you!"

In less than a minute after she had said that, Carissa collided with the ground, with Maya, her pet wolf on top of her. She had used her owner as a cushion to prevent any harm from befalling her.

"Uh…" Brynjolf was literally frozen when he was faced with the navy-colored wolf.

Maya took slow steps to him, growling in an almost silent manner. She took a moment to sniff him, perhaps to inspect the Nord that supposedly had his sparkling green eyes on her owner. But Maya's inspection was rendered inconclusive, and she was still not convinced that he was the one for her. So instead, she made her way to the Cistern to look for Carissa's bed.

"Eight Divines…" He muttered to himself, and then remembered about Carissa. "Oh! Carissa!" She was still on the floor, her back to the ground. "I got you, sabre cat," He pulled her up to her feet. "You alright?"

"Yeah…" She dusted her armor. "Sorry. I saw no other alternative to bring her in here." She arched and then massaged her back.

"I can see that… Don't know what Mercer would say about this though…" He scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, you can leave that unhappy man to me," She waved her hand at him.

"You alright? You look like you've got some pain in your back," He pointed out, watching her palm her lower back.

The moment he said that, a wave a redness invaded her cheeks and she pulled her hand away. "Um, NO! NO, NOT AT ALL. I'M FINE." She assured, although, it was hard to ignore how embarrassed she was.

Brynjolf chuckled at her and sat a hand on her shoulder. "Tell you what: go talk to Mercer about what you figured out and then come back to me. I'll give it another go at your back."

_Say no. SAY NO! _"Um…"

"No excuses, sabre cat," Was he trying to capture her eyes with his own or something? Man, the way he was looking at her… "A pained back can slow you down when you're out on the job. I'll be around here. Just yell for me."

_Say no- Oh, damn it… _"I-if you insist, Bryn…"

_Oh, but I am. _"Good. Now go on ahead." He motioned for her to go to Mercer's desk. _If just a simple massage gets the blood to those cheeks of yours, Rissa… I can't wait to see what you do with what I have installed for you. _

Carissa slowly made her way to Mercer's desk, trying to get the redness out of her cheeks. _Oh dear Gods, Bryn… If you do this, I think my heart might give out, and I might just die of happiness. Just thinking about you is making me smile like an absolute idiot. What is your angle? Do you even have one? If so… I hope you let me know soon…_

* * *

**A/N: Yes, Bryn, what is your angle? Poor, poor Carissa and her confused feelings... xD**

**skyflower51 - LOL, I'm so glad you like Carissa's personality! Writing her is like writing an even meaner version of Kayleigh and Anarine x)**

**Hope you guys like this chapter! :) Carissa's past will come up in a few more chapters!**


	17. The Game

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
12****th**** of Sun's Height  
1:11am **

"Karliah? Are you sure?"

"Yes, boss. I'm sure. Is there something you wanna tell me?"

Right now, Mercer Frey was not a happy man. In fact, he was never happy. As far as Carissa knew, she had never seen that man with a smile on his face. Not even a fake one. Didn't he know that it wasn't that hard to crack a smile? It would only take a few muscles. "Was it there to tell you, Carissa?" Mercer folded his arms across his chest, holding an angered expression on his face. "Karliah destroyed everything this Guild stood for. She murdered my predecessor, Gallus, in cold blood and betrayed the Guild. When we figured out what she had done, it was too late. She just… vanished."

"How long has it been?" Carissa asked, tilting her head slightly at him.

"… 25 years."

Her eyes widened. "Sweet Lady Mara, boss!"

"I know," He understood her exclamation. "She's back for a reason, and I think I know what: me."

"You? Why you?"

He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Karliah and I were partners. We accompanied each other on every heist. I knew her skills, her techniques… everything. If she got to me, then there'd be no one left to identify her. Brynjolf might, but he doesn't know her style as well as I do. He joined shortly before Gallus was murdered, you see."

She nodded in understanding. "Boss, don't you worry a thing. She's not getting near you or the Guild. I can make sure of that."

"How?" He raised an eyebrow, placing his hands on his desk.

"The lizard told me that Karliah was going to a place 'where the End began'," She relayed. "Does that mean anything to you?"

Mercer rubbed his chin in deep thought, trying his best to decipher it. "I think I might, but I'll need a little time to figure it out." He then glanced at her with a determined face. "Give me a day or two, Carissa. Once I figure it out, we can head over to that little hideout of hers and take her down once and for all. And you can also show me your killing skills." And that was when Mercer gave her a half smirk. Holy Mara, HE CAN SMILE.

"Oh!" That smirk took her by surprise. Finally he took the time to give her at least a smirk! Geez… "Sure, boss! Anything you want."

"And Carissa?"

"Yes?"

"That's an impressive wolf you've got there. Bring him with us when we have to go. He can definitely be useful."

Carissa smiled. "_Maya's_ been more than a useful ally, boss. She's my best friend."

* * *

**Later…**

As much as Carissa wanted to turn in and get some sleep, that sharp pain in her back annoying her to the heavens and back. As much her mind did not want her to go to Brynjolf, her little black heart was not listening. She was going to regret this later, after her heart had broken free of her chest due to his hands on her.

"It's your lower back, right?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah…"

"Seems like it. I'll give it another go. If it hurts, tell me."

"S-sure, Bryn. Thanks for this."

Brynjolf smiled to himself. "Not a problem, Carissa. Now, just _relax_. You're far too tensed up." He playfully chided, working on her lower back. _Just so you know, little Rissa, I can hear your heart beat. Hope you don't die on me. _

"Oh, alright. Sorry." She apologized, clearing her throat in embarrassment at the mere thought of how good this was to her. _DAMN IT, HEART, STOP BEATING LIKE ONE OF THOSE STUPID DRUMS! _

"Try sleeping on your back more. It might help a little," He causally suggested.

"I don't even know why I'm getting these little back pains nowadays…" She muttered in annoyance.

"Well, you could have worked too hard, like you always do," He said, smiling. "Or, it could be due to your age…"

Immediately after that statement, Carissa turned her head to him, eyes blazing. "YOU CALLING ME OLD, NORD?!"

Brynjolf was not that intimidated by her scary face that would have caused most people to back away from her. "Just stating a possibility, lass. And if it'll make you feel better, I'm not exactly a youngling myself. So don't feel left out."

The Breton growled in irritation and frustration. "GODS, if you weren't working on my back right now and _making me feel this good_, I would be so MAD at you!" She grumbled, and then realized her slip. That was supposed to be an internal thought! How did it-?

Following that was a low and amused chuckle by the red-headed second-in-command. His skillful hands travelled from her lower back to her shoulders in a slow manner, causing Carissa to freeze in place. Not to mention that she was already frozen after that embarrassing blurt. Now, she was as stiff as one of those icebergs in Winterhold.

Brynjolf leaned forward, his cheek dangerous close to hers. "Whatever do you _mean_, sabre cat?"

_Oh Gods, take me away right now! _"Uh…" That was all she could manage. "I… Nothing, Bryn. It's nothing! Look," She pulled away, getting up from her and facing him. "You did a good job on me. I feel a lot better! But I'm… tired." That was not exactly a lie, but she knew she wanted this massage to continue. She was just too red in her cheeks right now. "So, I'd like to get some rest. I'm sure you're tired too, right? You'll want to get some rest?"

The Nord knew exactly what she was trying to do. She did not know what she wanted, so she'd rather just push it all away and hope not to face it. But Brynjolf was a stubborn man: he was not going to rest until he would make her cross over to his side. Now, he was more determined than ever to do it. Teasing her was a like a fun little game he would like to play forever and ever.

But some games required time and a little patience to win. And if Brynjolf was going to win this one, he needed to be patient while he would work his magic on his protégé. "Actually, I am. I _am _a little tired. Go to sleep then, Carissa. You've had a long, long day. We'll see you in the morning, alright?"

She nodded. "Sure, Bryn."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight!" She gave a little wave, and then clutched her left chest where her heart was. She really needed to put a lock on her heart or something, if it was going to keep running away like that.

Next to her nightstand, Maya was gazing at her, her tail slightly waging.

"Stop laughing." Carissa knew her pet wolf too well.

_You don't know I'm doing that, _Maya mentally defended. _This is too hilarious! Brynjolf is going a great job on you! I'm liking him already._

* * *

**A/N: Another tease by Bryn? MAN, THIS IS TOO MUCH FUN FOR ME XD**

**skyflower51 - Thanks for the helpful review! :D**

**NEXT UP: Carissa's PAST! :O**


	18. Scarred

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Brynjolf and Carissa –"Stealing Hearts"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
12****th**** of Sun's Height  
7:31pm**

"Come on, Carissa! Give it a little more strength!"

"You're just too strong for your own good, Thrynn! I- OH MY GOODNESS! Cynric!" Carissa's fist fight practice with Thrynn came to a halt when Cynric Endell almost stumbled into the Cistern and onto his bed. She ran to his side in horror, wanting to tend to him. "Cynric, what happened to you?!"

Cynric gave a little laugh and smiled at her. "Why are you so worried, Carissa? Calm down! I'm fine!" He said, massaging the back of his neck.

Carissa, however, was sure that her fellow Breton was lying to her. His Thieves Guild armor was almost covered in dirt and he had a few scratch marks on his face, some which were bleeding. But perhaps he was strong enough to take whatever beating that had befallen him. "Did you fall down from a cliff or something?" She helped to dust his armor. "Someone _did _this to you!"

"Spit it out, Cyn. Tell us," Thrynn said.

"Got him a cloth for those wounds!" Rune came jogging from the other corner of the cistern with a wet rag in hand. Sapphire, Niruin, Vipir the Fleet and Brynjolf also jogged up to the former jailbreaker, just as shocked.

"Oh thank you, sweetie!" Carissa took the cloth and pressed his gently against Cynric's cheek. "Hold it right there, Cynric." She instructed him, to which he obeyed.

"By the Eight, lad! You look like you just wrestled with a forest bear!" Brynjolf commented, just as awed to see his Guild member in this state. "What happened to you?"

"Tell us, Cyn. At least, then Carissa can teach them a lesson or two about messing with one of her boys," Sapphire cleverly pointed out with a smirk.

"Yeah!" Carissa herself agreed with it, and turned to Cynric. "Tell me who they are, Cynric. I'll make them pay."

All Cynric could do was chuckle. He had appreciated this all, but… "A bunch of bandits. They got the jump on me while I was making my way back from tat job in Whiterun. Must have been about 5 of them, all in fur armor and carrying iron weapons," He said. "They are _not _the regular bandits we see, Bryn. These were _killers_. They were showing no mercy with another poor soul after me. I managed to escape, but I don't think that Redguard was lucky."

"Huh. They sound like they could use a real trashing," Niruin said. "Are you up for it, Carissa?"

"Cynric…" Her tone was a little softer, and this time, a little more serious. The same thing was written all over her face. "You said… that there were five of them? Fur armor and iron weapons?"

"Sounds about right,"

"Did you happen to catch the leader's name?" She asked, still just as solemn.

"Uh… yeah. I think so. 'Vyndus'. I think one of the members called out to him. He was a little unique from the rest. He was wearing brown face paint." He said, giving it a little more description, now that it had come to his mind.

No sooner had Cynric said that, Carissa pushed past everybody to get to her bedside. She violently pulled out a drawer of her nightstand and retrieved her beloved glass dagger. "Let's go, Maya. We've got him." She summoned for her pet wolf.

"Carissa?" Brynjolf called out to her.

"Cynric!" She yelled from her bed. "You said they got to you while you were coming back from Whiterun. Were they travelling to Whiterun or from?"

"Uh… I'd say from. By the looks of it, they were probably on their way to Riften." He answered her, but he was just as confused as the rest of the Guild. He watched with them as Carissa made her way to the Ragged Flagon, to exit the Ratways via the long route.

"Carissa? Carissa! Lass!" Brynjolf hurried to her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, BRYNJOLF. Out of my way!" She ordered suddenly, with such rage in her tone. With one hand, she pushed him away.

"Carissa!" He then grabbed that hand and attempted to stop her for an explanation. "What is going on, lass? What's gotten into you?"

"I have… a score to settle, Brynjolf," She said through gritted teeth. "It involves me, those bandits and their DAMNED leader! It doesn't concern you, so GET OUT OF MY WAY!" With another push, this time a harder one, she and Maya exited the Cistern for the Ragged Flagon.

"Carissa!" Brynjolf yelled for her, but the Breton kept on going. "What's gotten into her?" He turned to the rest of the Guild and questioned them.

"I know what's going on…" Sapphire admitted, biting her lower lip.

"… Me too…" Rune confessed as well, unpleasantness written all over the young member. "And you're not going to like it."

From a distance, the Guild Master was listening in.

* * *

**Location: Near a river just outisde Riften **

**"FINALLY FOUND YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" **

"What in the- Who are _you_?"

"I figured you wouldn't remember me," Carissa clutched her glass dagger tightly in her hand and growled just as fiercely as Maya did. "After all, you don't care who or what you kill. You wouldn't remember killing an innocent man 25 years ago and leaving a 10-year-old to survive on her own!" She yelled out at the five fur armor-clad bandits.

"I have no idea who you are, Breton." The leader, Vyndus, snarled at her.

"YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT!"

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild**

"Oh…"

"My…"

"Sweet…"

"Divines…"

"We need to go after her. She can't be out there on her own!"

"I'll go. She'll listen to me."

"Don't be too sure, Bryn,"

"Yeah. Revenge is the only thing on her mind right now."

* * *

**Location: Near a river just outside Riften**

"YOU BASTARD!" Carissa exclaimed with tears in those electric blue eyes of hers. "You killed my brother! He didn't do a DAMN thing to you! You made me like this! YOU TURNED ME INTO SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS HATED!"

"Enough of this! The lot of you!" Vyndus ordered for his four bandits to form up in front of him, shielding him, as well as getting ready to attack this lone woman and her wolf. "Kill her and dump her in the river. She's wasting my time."

"Come at me, you bastards!" Carissa spread her arms wide open, just _daring _one of them to take a stab at her. "I'm no longer that little girl you scarred by killing her brother. I can take you all on! GET HIM, MAYA!"

Maya made the leap at one of the bandits and targeted his neck. Carissa wasted no time flinging her hidden iron daggers at two more of the bandits. The remaining fourth one attempted to gut her but Carissa stepped out of the way. She kneed him in the gut and stuck him at the back of his neck. With him lying on the ground, she stepped on his back and impaled other iron dagger to the back of his head.

Carissa jumped backwards when the bandit leader, Vyndus, swung an iron battle axe at her. Being small, the Breton was quick on her feet. But Vyndus, the oversize Nord would have to think bigger if he wanted to take Carissa down. She wasted no time kicking him in the stomach a few times.

Vyndus swung his battle again, missing once again. Carissa gave him a direct kick to the jaw, causing him to stagger backwards slightly. "You little bit-" She stabbed him in the chest with two iron daggers and pulled them out. Vyndus grunted in pain, but refused to back down.

Carissa rolled out of the way and kicked in the knee. She even took the time to flung one of her hidden iron daggers at his leg and his knee caught one of the daggers. He howled in pain and feel to his knees, almost immobile.

Carissa gazed down at him, tears glistening in her eyes as she clutched his neck. "You… did this to me!" She cried and pushed him onto his back. Descending upon him in his semi-conscious state due to the pain, she raised her glass dagger and began to repeatedly stab him in his chest. "You did this! YOU DID THIS TO ME!"

"Carissa? Carissa!" That… that was Brynjolf, calling for his Guild member to stop her actions. "Carissa, stop, lass! That's enough!" He gripped her shoulders and attempted to pull her up and away from the bandit leader. "Carissa!"

"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" She continued to wail and stab him.

"Carissa, he's _dead_, lass! You can stop now! Stop it! _Please_!" On that last word said by Brynjolf, Carissa stopped her mad stabbing and let go of the glass dagger. Instead, she began to sob harder than before.

Brynjolf almost dragged her away from Vyndus' corpse and knelt next to her. "Carissa…"

"He did this to me…" She sobbed, looking at the ground. "He DID THIS to me!" As if every stinging emotion was suddenly let loose, Carissa buried her face into her hands and began to cry.

Instinctively, Brynjolf enveloped her in his massive arms to comfort her. "Hush now, little Rissa. It's over. It's over now. You don't have to worry a thing." He stroked her hair gently, as well as her back. "Let it go, Carissa. You're safe now."

* * *

**A/N: First part of tackling Carissa's past! :O  
**

**Never seen her like this before, right? Well, that little lady's hiding quite a number of things!**


	19. Right Where You Want Me

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"_We'll sell Grandma's house and start travelling. Remember all those places I would tell you about before bedtime, Layna? Well, you're going to see all those places for real now." _

"_Yay! I can't wait, brother!"_

* * *

"_Audric?" _

"_Layna. Run.."_

"_What?!"_

"_It's not safe. Run, and don't look back!" _

"_But I can't leave yo-" _

"_GO, Alayna! Your big brother will be fine! I swear upon Mara! Now GO! …I love you very much… HEY! YOU BASTARDS WANT A PIECE OF ME?! GO AHEAD!"_

* * *

**Location: Near a river just outside Riften  
12****th**** of Sun's Height  
8:52pm**

"Here,"

Carissa's usually shimmering electric-blue eyes were now teary. She glanced at Brynjolf with them, and then accepted her Thieves Guild armor top back after he had washed all of the blood off it. Luckily it was made of leather; it made drying it easier for him. "Thank you," She said softly and put it on.

"So tell me,"

Those words caused her to halt the buckling of her armor and looked at him. "You want me to tell you what I've been hiding?"

"You weren't going to tell me at all?" He questioned as if he was highly offended. "Carissa. You stormed out of the Cistern yelling at us all, only to come here and kill 5 bandits on your own, one of which you were stabbing repeatedly even after he was dead! So _of course _I want you to tell me what you've been hiding all this while!"

Carissa continued to look away from the second-in-command. She remained silent and tried to keep new tears from surfacing.

Brynjolf sighed and then made her turn to face him. "Lass. You know you can trust me. Hey, if you've trusted Sapphire and Rune enough to tell him the truth…"

"They don't know the whole truth," She corrected it. "I may have… left out a couple of things…"

The Nord knew he had to be delicate with her. If she was keeping something for 25 years, then letting it all out in an instant was going to be a hard thing to do. Gently, he took one of her hands and clasped it. "Start at the top." He said softly.

The Breton gazed into those unbelievably green eyes and saw sincerity. She knew she could trust him; that was what her heart said. But it was her mind that was spewing some other nonsense to her. She closed her eyes, took in a nice deep breath and then released it, breathing in the chilly air that only Skyrim could offer. "Well…" She cleared her throat. "To start off… my name's not Carissa Larue. It's Alayna. Alayna Larue. I forsook the name after that day."

"What day, Carissa?" He asked, completely ignoring the fact that she had been using a fake name all this while.

"Um…" She could feel another sob coming on, but she tried her hardest to hold it in. "Well, my parents died when I was just a little girl. My mother when I was born, and my father at a mining sight gone wrong. All I had left was my brother, Audric. He raised me with all the love and care you can imagine," She smiled just a little. "He protected me. He loved me very much.

"My family used to live with my Grandmother in Riften. Audric and I continued to stay with her after our parents' death. Then my Grandmother passed on. Audric was a traveler; he would come home from one of his many adventures and tell me about his travels as bedtime stories. I enjoyed them very much.

"After Grandmama's passing, Audric was giving her home. He decided to sell it so the both of us could go travelling before heading to High Rock and staying there permanently. Our ancestry dates back all the way to High Rock; the Larue Clan was apparently a very influential family.

In the midst of her story-telling, Carissa was subconsciously holding Brynjolf's coarse hand tighter. "Anyway, I had already turned 10 and we decided to leave Riften. Um… we were… we were on our way to Solitude when…. When…." She glanced back at the direction where she had just murdered five men.

"Look at me, Carissa," Brynjolf gently told her. "Continue,"

"They came out of nowhere, Bryn," She said, her voice trembling. "They wanted everything we had on us. They even taunted us about taking me as 'a prize'. That really made Audric mad. But he knew we weren't going to survive this. So he… he told me to _run_."

"_Layna. Run."_

"I didn't want to. I didn't want to leave him. But…" She wiped away a fallen tear. "But he promised me that he would be alright. He swore upon Mara. So I believed him. Because I trusted him. I was stupid…"

"Carissa…"

"I ran but I still looked back," She continued. "I watched from a distance what they did to him. They slaughtered him like he was some animal to be sacrificed, Bryn!" She instinctively gripped his arms. She tried her hardest to stop the sob that was coming on, but to no avail. "I don't have anything left of him, Bryn! I don't even have the slightest thing to remember my big brother by! I miss him!" She sobbed. "Oh Gods, I miss him _so much…_"

"Oh no, no," Brynjolf was not going to be able to bear anymore tears from his woman. "No, it's alright, Carissa. It's alright!" He quickly took her into his massive, yet comforting arms and patted her back. "Please, Carissa, don't cry. Your brother would not want you to dwell on this anymore. It's over. You got his killer. It's done now."

"No…" He felt her shake her head slightly. "I've disappointed him so much, Bryn… He's probably rolling in his grave right now," She said as she lifted her head up and wiped her tears. "Or… wherever it is that the land engulfed him…"

"What do you mean, Carissa?" He asked.

"Bryn…" She glanced at him. "Look at me. For 25 years, I've been a thief. I've been an _assassin. _You know who despises them? Audric! He hates them more than anything in the world! How would he feel knowing that his only sister became what she's always hated? What _he's _always hated?!"

"Carissa," He gripped her upper arms to calm her. "Will you listen to yourself? You were a scared 10 year-old, with no one to guide you. You were on your own. What choice did you have another than to do whatever it took to survive on your own?"

"But-"

"No 'buts'," He hushed her. "Don't blame yourself for anything, little Rissa. You _never _did anything wrong. And if your brother truly loved and cared for you, he wouldn't blame you, not even the slightest bit." He said with a little smile.

Carissa managed to smile back. "You really think he still loves me?"

Brynjolf held his smile. "He's family. You can't stay mad at family."

"I suppose…" She nodded. "Thank you." She thanked with her little black heart, as well as a little peck to his cheek.

"You don't have to thank me, sabre cat." He assured. "Oh… and I'm still calling you 'Carissa'. 'Alayna' doesn't suit you on bit."

She managed to let go of a giggle. "I've always thought that myself. Hence the name change. But actually," She glanced down at her hands. "The real reason was I wanted to be someone else. Someone who was fearless. Someone who would not let anyone insult her and get away with it. Someone who could withstand anything and everything. Carissa was that someone else, so I became her. It was… nice to not feel like that helpless 10 year-old anymore."

"Then still to being Carissa, if that is what you want," He patted her cheek lovingly. "But never forget where you came from, lass. The past may be painful, but it also defines who you are. Carry the pain not as burden, but as a reason why you continue living. In your case, you're living for your brother. Always remember that." He tapped her nose playfully.

She nodded truthfully. "I will, Bryn. I swear."

"Good." He was happy with that answer.

The moon was overlooking Skyrim, accompanied by the millions of stars. That was best time to see those electric-blue eyes of Carissa's. This time, they weren't teary anymore. But there was something else more to them and Brynjolf knew what it was: love. She was already falling for him. Now he was sure that he had her right where he wanted her.

So he cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers. He hoped she was not thinking that he was taking advantage of her and her current situation. He was not. He had just wanted to do that for a while now.

"Bryn-" She suddenly pulled back. "Please. You don't want this. I'm damaged goods."

Oh. Looks like her mind was trying once again to overtake Carissa's heart. Well, Brynjolf was not going down without a fight. He was going to steal her heart, one way or another. "Then let me fix you," He cleverly replied, keeping those rough large hands on her flushed cheeks. "And please, sabre cat, don't tell _me _you don't want this."

Oh Sweet Mara, how was she going to say no anymore? She couldn't! No matter what her mind was telling her, her little black heart was demanding that she kiss him back. So she did.

_Finally,_ he thought. _I've got you right where I want you._

_Great… _Maya thought, who was there the whole time. _Now I'm the odd one out._

* * *

**A/N: So I was debating whether or not to throw in the part about her having a fake name. Just thought it might add a little more spice LOL **

**When I have a new story idea, I usually write the more important chapters first in my notebook. So for once in my life as a fan-fiction writer, I *sort of* stuck to what I originally wrote XD  
**

**I really like the way this chapter turned out! Hope you guys like it too! :)  
**


	20. Protection

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Near a river just outside Riften  
13****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
10:04am

Carissa opened her eyes and immediately shielded them after feeling the light of the morning sun. She sat up and yawned, scratching the back of her head.

Last night, she and Brynjolf sat up camp by stealing two sleeping bags and a tent from the bandit clan that Carissa annihilated near a river just outside of Riften. In a way, last night was the greatest sleep the Breton had had in a long time. She fulfilled her revenge, let out emotions that lasted for 25 years, and then she shared an incredible night with Brynjolf.

Speaking of Brynjolf, the unbelievably handsome red-headed Nord was seating opposite her, putting on his second boot. He greeted her with a warm smile. "Mornin', lass,"

She smiled back sweetly. "Good morning, Bryn,"

As she greeted him, he crawled over to her and planted a good morning kiss on her forehead. He ran his fingers through her usually tied-up hair, trying to flatten it out. "How did you sleep?"

"Great. Best I've slept in a long time," She said gratefully. "Thanks to you."

He chuckled at that. "Well, you're welcome then," From her side, he picked up her Thieves Guild armor and handed it to her. "Go get dressed, lass. We need to be getting back to Riften."

"Aw," She clicked her tongue. "Can't we spend a _little _more time here together?" She asked with flattering eyes, trailing her fingers up his chest.

Brynjolf sighed playfully. "You know this is a highly unlikely romantic place… but what the hey." He immediately cupped her cheeks and kissed her passionately.

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
12:12pm **

"Carissa!" As if Rune had not seen his favorite person in years, he was the first person to run up to Carissa. "Divines! Where DID you go yesterday?"

But Carissa was the one who gave him a flying tackle-hug. "Hi, Rune!"

"There's the runaway! Gods!" It was Sapphire who then gave her a flying tackle-hug. "Where have you been, young lady?" She chided him like a mother would after her kid came home late.

Considering that it was only Rune, Sapphire and Brynjolf around her, she knew she could be honest. "I… I did it…"

Sapphire and Rune exchanged a look with each other. "You got him?"

"Yep," She answered in a blink of an eye.

"So it's finally done," Sapphire deduced. "Good. You've been through enough, Carissa."

"It's over, Carissa," Rune patted her shoulders, trying to comfort her after seeing the pained expression on her face. "You did it. You avenged your brother. He can rest now. And so can you."

"Yeah. Don't worry about it," Sapphire smiled. "Come on. You must be hungry. We'll get you something to eat." She escorted her friend to the little kitchen the Guild had in the cistern.

"Who wants Apple Pie?!"

Brynjolf chuckled to himself, seeing that heartwarming sight.

* * *

**11:14pm **

"You like the floor better than your bed, lass?"

Carissa glanced up at that handsome face, smiling. "Not really, Bryn. I'm just… thinking,"

Brynjolf took a seat on the floor next to Carissa, who was leaning against her bed. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close. "What's troubling you, Carissa?"

She sighed, making herself comfortable on his chest. "I'm just… thinking about yesterday. I really miss my brother. I mean, 25 years is a long time. I myself don't understand how I managed to survive for so long. I mean… what kept me going?"

He knew the answer very well. "The need for revenge, love. You wanted to take down the man responsible. That was your goal all this while. The wanting to avenge your brother is what kept you going."

She faked a chuckle. "It's also what kept me alive. Now… now I don't know what to do anymore. I joined the Guild to be around people who could keep me sane. I joined to be with a family. I was working towards my goal of killing that bandit and now that it's done… what do I do with my life?"

Smiling to himself, Brynjolf took one of her tiny hands and clasped it. "You can continue to stay here, and be with the family you love. You can continue doing what you're good at: thieving. You're a natural, Carissa. What else would you prefer to do?"

Tearing away from those shining green eyes, she thought for a moment. "I want to do all of the above," She glanced back at him. "And one more thing,"

"And what's that, little Rissa?" He asked sweetly.

She broke into smiles. "I want to love you."

Brynjolf could not hold back his grin as he chuckled heartily and kissed her forehead. "You can do that to your little black heart's content, sabre cat. And I…" He gently caressed her cheek with a coarse finger. "Will love you back."

She grinned at him, contented with that sentence. "Hey, can you promise me one thing?"

"What do you desire, love?" He asked.

"Can you promise me… that you'll always protect me no matter what?" She asked innocently. "Ever since Audric died, the one thing I was never given was protection. And now that you're here… I want you to be the one who protects me."

He shifted his arm so he could cup both of her flushed cheeks. "I'd rather _die_ than to let you fall into any danger. Don't you worry a thing, little Rissa," He then captured her electric-blue orbs with his green ones. "I'll protect you. And love you."

That was more than good enough for the Breton. She leaned forward and captured his lips, her way of saying, "You're too good to me!"

On Carissa's bed, Maya attempted to shield her eyes with her paws. _Oh, COME ON, you two! This is embarrassing!_

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys don't mind a short chapter! I'm preparing myself for the next one:  
**

**SNOW VEIL SANCTUM ;_;  
**

**OH, SOME SERIOUS SH*TS ABOUT TO GO DOWN!  
**


	21. Betrayals

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
14****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
9:19am

"So. Brynjolf, eh?"

Carissa glanced up from her Apple Pie to the face of her good friend, Sapphire. "What?"

"Don't try to play dumb, Carissa," She took a seat opposite the Breton. "I _know,_"

"Know what?"

Sapphire simply sat there, head on one hand, and with the 'I know everything' look.

"… Oh… Well… this is awkward…" Carissa cleared her throat, and looked down at her Apple Pie embarrassingly. "So who else know?"

"Well, a part from me and Rune… I'd guess no one else."

"You _guess_?"

"This Guild consists of smart people, Carissa," She pointed out. "They may not act like they know, but oh, oh, they _know_,"

Carissa grumbled in further embarrassment, shoving her face into her hands.

Sapphire could only giggle at this sight. "Come on, Carissa. If anything, we're happy for you. Brynjolf's quite the catch. You're a very lucky gal."

"I am?" She removed her hands from her face. "I mean- OF COURSE I am! Ha!" She laughed nervously, still embarrassed. "I mean… it's nice to have one good thing in my life, you know? These few days…"

"Don't think about it anymore, Carissa. Remember: it's over," Sapphire gently reminded her, unwilling to allow her friend to relive those memories. "Now, you can concentrate on this Guild, and being with Brynjolf. He can help you get through this. He's patient with you, so listen to him. Got it?"

Carissa laughed at her; that was more of an order. "Sure."

* * *

**15****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
11:52am

Snow Veil Sanctum was the Nordic tomb where Karliah was supposedly hiding out. Mercer Frey deduced that after remembering that that was the place where Karliah had murdered Gallus, their previous Guild Master. That was more than enough for the Breton. Now, she and her Guild Master were about to head to that Sanctum and track her down.

But before that, Carissa had one more thing to do.

"Bryn! Oh! There's the handsome Nord!" She skipped over to the red-headed second in command, in smiles.

"Sabre cat. Ready to leave?"

"Yep. Mercer's already gotten a head start. I'll join up with him."

"Alright then," Then, Brynjolf took a step forward and clasped her hands. "You watch yourself. Alright? Karliah's as mean as they come,"

She chuckled at him. "I'm meaner, remember?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Well, you are but…" He then lovingly stroked her hair. "I'm just worried, that's all."

"Well, don't be. I'll be fine! I've got Mercer guarding my back. I'll be alright. We'll be alright." She assured in a sincere tone, one hand on his chest.

The Nord gently took that hand of hers. "In any case, if something goes down…" From his back, he placed a Daedric Dagger in her palm. "I'll be happy knowing that you're safe with this as your weapon."

Her eyes were almost ready to pop out of her sockets at that unbelievable sight. "YOU GOT ME A DAEDRIC DAGGER?!"

"It wasn't easy, but when you know a few people…" He was contented after seeing that large grin on her face. He tried to keep her rooted to the ground but she was too busy jumping up and down in delight. "I just want you to be safe, that's all, Carissa. Take care of yourself, alright?"

She nodded her head gleefully. "Don't you worry a thing, Bryn. I'll come back to you." She promised, keeping the Daedric Dagger close to her heart.

But immediately after her promise, she reached up and hugged him tightly, and held him even closer than the dagger. "I love you so much." She almost whispered to him, prompting the Nord to hold her closer to him.

* * *

**Location: Outside of Snow Veil Sanctum  
5:33pm**

Carissa hated the cold. It was not very kind to her Breton blood. But Maya seemed fine, probably due to the fact that she was born in the woods of Windhelm.

They met Mercer outside of the Sanctum, just as he promised he would be. And once again, he was not the happiest soul right now.

"Karliah's here, Carissa. I found her horse. But don't worry: I've taken care of it. She won't be using it to escape. She's inside there, Carissa. It's time to end this."

"Let's finish this, boss. I got your back."

* * *

**Location: Snow Veil Sanctum **

After countless Draugrs and Karliah's traps, Carissa and Mercer had made it deeper into the ancient Nordic tomb. Carissa was a little new to these places. When has she ever had to explore a tomb unless it was to hide a body for a client?

Karliah had sat up many traps such as bone chimes to wake the Draugrs. But once you wake one, you wake the whole horde.

"Boss. What's that?" Carissa pointed at the strange door directly in front of them.

"Just something you'd find in every other Nordic tomb: a puzzle door," Mercer walked up to it and inspected it. "What you'll need is a Dragon's Claw. It has the combination you'll need to sort these doors out. And if I know Karliah, then she's run off with it."

"Great. How are we going to get through past this?"

"Fear not, my little assassin," He gave her a smirk just as he briefly turned his head to her. "There's a little trick to these kinds of doors. A weakness. You just have to know how to exploit them." He knelt before the door. "I'll work on this. You watch my back."

"Got it, boss. Nothing's getting past me!" She turned her back to him, Daedric Dagger in hand. Maya was on guard as well.

After a few short minutes, Carissa heard the puzzle door unlock and sure enough: it was open. Her jaw dropped in utter amazement.

"After you, little assassin,"

"Boss, you are a miracle worker!" She complimented, and took the first few steps into the new area of the tomb.

But as soon as she did, she gasped out in pain. What got her in the right shoulder was an arrow, and it came at lightning speed. "Son of a-!" She pulled out the arrow and threw it to the ground. "Boss! W-watch out…!" She could not even hear herself anymore as everything started to become blurry. The next thing she knew, her face collided with the ground and she passed out, hearing Maya's faint barks in the background.

* * *

"Sweet… Lady… Mara…" Carissa mumbled to herself as she felt all her senses kick in. She was still lying on the cold ground, her cheek to the floor. But she still felt as if she had no control over her movements. She cracked open one eye and found two people directly in front of her. One male and one female, by the sound of their voices…

"Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?"

"Give me a reason to try,"

"You're a clever girl, Karliah. Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired."

_Mercer? …Karliah? What the…_

"To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies: that was the first lesson Gallus thought us,"

"You _always_ were a quick study,"

"Not quick enough, or else Gallus would still be here,"

"He had his wealth and you! All he had to do was look the other way!"

"Did you forget the Oath with took as Nightingales? Did you _expect _him to simple ignore your methods?!"

_What is going on…?!  
_

"ENOUGH of this mindless banter! It's time for you and Gallus to be reunited!"

"Uh… Mercer!" Carissa tried her hardest to left herself off the ground. "What in Oblivion!"

Mercer's attention was then given to the downed Carissa. Behind him, Karliah was backing away while drinking some kind of potion. "I'm no fool, Mercer," He glanced back… to see her completely invisible. "Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise you the next time we meet… it _will _be your undoing…"

By then, it was hard for Mercer to tell where Karliah was. He growled in defeat, but now he had another business to take care of. "Oh, Carissa…" He sighed to himself, as if he was sorry for what he was about to say. "I really didn't want it to be this way, but Karliah has provided me with the means to get rid of you, so I might as well. Your usefulness has come to an end, anyway,"

Carissa was still unable to get to even her knees. Whatever was on that arrow… it was blurring her vision and making her weak in the knees.

"But do you know what intrigues me the most?" He knelt in front of her, prompting Maya to step in front of her master and growling ferociously. "Now, boy, calm down…"

"GET him, Maya!" Carissa managed to order.

As if Mercer was expecting that, he brandished his Elven sword and plunged it into Maya, before pulling her off the blade and casting her aside like she was nothing.

"NO! Maya!" Carissa cried out in shock. "You son of a bitch, Mercer!"

"Enough of this, Carissa!" With one foot on her back, he kept her flat on the ground. "I think you've seen and heard enough! This place will become your tomb, just as it became Gallus'!" With one hand, he gripped her by the back of her neck and brought her to her knees so he could snarl into her ear. "I'll be sure to break the news to your beloved Brynjolf for you. It's a shame, really. You two made a lovely couple." He then aimed his sword at her neck. "Say goodbye, Carissa."

With whatever strength she could regain, she elbowed him in the stomach, hard. In front of her was her Daedric dagger. She attempted to crawl over to it and grab it before Mercer would try to retaliate. When she did, she struggled to her feet, dagger in hand. "I'LL KILL YOU, if it's the last thing I do, Mercer!"

Because she was still unstable from the poisoned arrow, Mercer knew he could take her on. With his Elven sword in hand, he tried his best to gut her. She tried to dodge, but she was losing her footing along the way. Carissa made an attempt to his neck, but he gripped her armed arm. She kicked him the abdomen, but he quickly countered with a hard slap to her face.

She fell on her back, still struggling. The fall caused her to lose grip of her Daedric dagger. Her head was still spinning, to make things worse. Mercer ten gripped her neck tightly and brought her to her feet. She flayed and tried to pry his killer grip from her neck.

With a smirk, he stabbed her in her abdomen and she let out a loud cry. He threw her to the ground and she tried to cover her wounds with her hands, as the tears fell from her eyes. "Brynjolf…"

"No 'Brynjolf' here, I'm afraid," He shrugged his shoulders at her. "Sorry it had to end this way, Carissa. Goodbye." With that, he made his escape, leaving the injured Breton to bleed on the cold, hard floor.

Carissa coughed up some blood, trying her best to breathe. Her eyes tried to search for Mercer, unaware that he was already gone. Instead, her electric-blue eyes found Maya, her body on the floor as well, motionless.

"No…" She sobbed, and attempted to crawl over to her wolf companion. "Maya, don't…" She reached out to her.

But the Breton gave up when she realized she had no more strength left. Instead, she closed her eyes and lost consciousness again, not before seeing the face of a handsome red-headed Nord flashed in her mind's eye.

* * *

**A/N: O.O Uh oh... This is not good... Mercer picked the wrong Breton to betray!  
**

**You guys will have to help me decide Maya's fate though! I'm kinda stuck on that one :/  
**


	22. Played

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"_I don't need anything else, Bryn, now that I've got you." _

**Location: Outside of Snow Veil Sanctum  
16****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
12:12am

Carissa's senses kicked in and she opened her blue eyes in a flash, and was greeted by the Skyrim's star-dotted black skies. Then, she felt pain. Excruciating pain. Good, that meant she was alive. But it wasn't a good feeling.

She was lying on her back. Gritting her teeth, she attempted to sit up, not without crying out in pain and falling back to her side. She gripped her abdomen, sobbing softly upon realizing what had just transpired. Mercer was actually a betrayer… he had killed Maya…

Maya.

She then grasped that she was no longer in the depths of Snow Veil Sanctum. She pushed herself up from the ground and glanced around: she was outside the Nordic tomb, but she was in a tent, on a comfortable bedroll. She was still in her Thieves Guild armor, minus the armor's top. Her abdomen had been heavily bandaged with clothes, but there was blood seeping through slightly.

Then she heard a whimper. A familiar whimper.

"Maya?"

Maya was on a bed roll in the same tent. She lovingly wagged her tail at her master and struggled to her feet. When she successfully did, she hobbled over to Carissa and placed her head on her lap.

"Maya…" Tears of joy grouped in her once-sparkling eyes as she stroked her companion's fur. Below Maya's neck was heavily wrapped with bandage as well. "Thank Lady Mara! You're alright!"

"Good. You're finally awake."

That voice. That mellow feminine voice. Just like the one from the Sanctum. "You…" Carissa held onto Maya protectively. "You're the one from the Sanctum. You SHOT me with that arrow!"

"No, I saved your life," Karliah was in a typical Thieves Guild armor, brown in color just like Carissa's. She had very unique light purple eyes. She also had her hood up. As she entered the tent, she said, "My arrow was tipped with a unique paralytic poison. It slowed your heart and kept you from bleeding out. Had I _intended _to kill you," She crossed her arms over her chest. "We wouldn't be having his conversation."

"Bit of a waste, don't you think? You should have killed Mercer instead," She pointed out, still holding onto Maya.

"That was my original intention," Karliah said. "Switching to the poisoned arrow was a last-minute decision. What I realized, is that if Mercer was dead, then he couldn't answer for this crimes. I didn't plan the rest after that, as you can tell."

"Huh… right… the rest of it…" Carissa glanced down at the wound Mercer had given her.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," She sincerely apologized.

"You got us out?"

"I did. The poison did its work and you weren't bleeding out that much. You just passed out. Your wolf on the other hand…"

"Thank you so much for saving Maya," Carissa thanked with all her heart. "I don't know what I'd do without her…" She glanced down at Maya as she continued to stroke her fur. "We can't let Mercer get away. We need to get him. He needs to pay. I WANT that son of a bitch to confess EVERYTHING while he's under my boot! Ow…" She almost doubled over.

"Easy," Karliah hurried over to her side and knelt next to her. "You need to rest. Listen, I didn't lure him all the way to Snow Veil for irony's sake. I found Gallu's journal among his remains. It could prove Mercer's been cheating us all, but there's a problem."

"What problem?" She questioned.

"The language in his journal," Karliah put down the sack she was carrying and pulled out a rather unique-looking journal. "It's in some kind of foreign language. We need to get it translated,"

"Alright. I might have some old contacts who can help us translate it-"

"No wait," A light bulb went over Karliah's head. "Gallus had a friend in the College of Winterhold… Enthir. He was the only one he trusted with his Nightingale identity!"

"Aaaaaand you wanna tell me why I'm hearing that word again?" Carissa raised an eyebrow at her, still having a couple of questions.

Karliah bit her lower lip. "Gallus, Mercer and I were an anonymous splinter of the Guild, known as the Nightingales. Look," She laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'll tell you more about it some other time, but you need to rest for now,"

"I'm fine, Karliah. Let's go get this journal translated! We need to take Mercer down!" Carissa said, still very enraged by his betrayal.

"We can do that in the morning," She kept her down on the bed roll. "I know Mercer. He'll be keeping up his act right now just to avoid suspicion. Don't worry. You just rest. While you head to the College, I'll keep an eye on him. If he plans to leave Skyrim anytime soon, I'll know."

"Brynjolf…" Carissa suddenly remembered during this whole ordeal. "No, I have to get back to Riften! Mercer will tell him I'm dead! He can't think I'm dead!"

"Carissa!" Karliah had to stop this Breton. "Listen to me: if you go back there, _without _any proof of Mercer's betrayal, then you're outnumbered. He's been leading that Guild for 25 years. They'll believe him no matter what."

"But… but Brynjolf-"

"I know, Carissa. I know," She gently stroked her back. "It's only until we get the proof. Until then, hold on. We can get this done."

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
A few hours prior… **

"Mercer! You're back! That was quick! Where's Carissa? ... What happened to you?"

Mercer Frey almost stumbled into the center of the cistern with Delvin Mallory and Vex following behind him, just as concerned. The rest of the members gathered around him. Mercer was breathing heavily and had several cuts on his Guild Master armor. He also had a bleeding nose. But of course, all of those were self-inflicted; to further assist him in his act. "What happened? CARISSA happened!"

Brynjolf furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I KNEW that woman was up to no-good when you first brought her to me!" Mercer pointed an angry finger at his second-in-command. "In Snow Veil, she tried to kill me when my back was turned! And guess who she was working with?"

"…Karliah?" Delvin guessed from behind them.

"That BITCH!" Vex exclaimed, having realizing it all now. "I knew it! I knew she was too good to be true! All that talk about loyalty? BAH! What a liar! She and her loud mouth…" She grumbled, smoke coming out of her ears.

"Only because you had an equally loud mouth, Vex!" Cydric chided, not caring that it was his senior he was talking back to. "Everybody, re-LAX. This is _not _Carissa! There must be some kind of explanation!"

"Oh, so there's an explanation?" Vex, walked up to him, giving him her sarcastic look. "Care to give me one, Cynric?"

"Carissa would _never _do something like this!" Rune immediately defended, hurt by these accusations. "She's a kind woman! She would never trade her loyalty for us for anything in the world! She _likes _it here, damn it!"

"Never trust a pretty face, Rune. Learn that," Vex said.

"The woman gave me back my damn PAST, damn it! IS EVERYBODY FORGETTING THAT?!" He questioned out loud, shocked all how all the faces were turned convinced by Carissa's timely appearance to save the Guild since they were down on their luck.

"Boss…" Brynjolf finally spoke. "If this is some kind of prank…"

"Prank? PRANK?!" Mercer's eyes widened as if he was offended. "Why would I want to prank you? SHE TRIED TO KILL ME."

"Brynjolf's just trying to protect this lover, that's all," All of the heads turned to Brynjolf, some shocked, some knew this was coming. "Yes, Bryn. _I know,_" Vex folded her arms across her chest. "It was pretty obvious when you returned from bringing her back her after her outburst a few days ago."

Mercer turned to Brynjolf, stunned. "Is this true, Brynjolf? You and Carissa? Wow. Trying to take down this Guild wasn't enough. She just HAD to sink her claws into you as well, eh?"

"No," Brynjolf was trying his hardest not to convince himself that his Carissa had been playing him this whole time. That she was not sincere about every loving word she had spoken and whispered to him in her loving tone. "No, this can't be! Carissa couldn't have done this! The lass was a scarred soul, for Divines' sake!"

"What are the odds that her sob story was a lie, and she just randomly killed 5 bandits just to convince you?" Vex voiced out, further agitating Cynric, Thrynn, Rune and Sapphire, the four who supported Carissa all the way.

"ENOUGH, Vex!" Sapphire stepped up. "Stop using this as an excuse to express your hate of Carissa! We don't know what even happened in Snow Veil!"

"Now we do, don't we?" Vex then pointed at Mercer. "She tried to KILL our Guild Master! Are you going to call our boss a liar?"

"Enough!" Mercer ordered in a stern tone. "Look, Brynjolf," He turned back to the red-headed Nord. "Your lover or not, I don't _care._ If she shows her face here, the Guild is ordered to kill her. We don't need another Karliah running around. You're either with us, or against. Think about it."

Mercer left his second-in-command's side and walked over to his desk, further mumbling about the pain in his back from Carissa's blows. With Brynjolf left alone in the center of the Cistern, his mind was in a conflict. Did his beloved _really _play him? Use him? Like it was some kind of game? If it was, Brynjolf was _not _happy that it had happened to him a second time in his life. It was not the first time a beautiful, smart woman used him for their own purposes or to take down the Guild internally.

He _had _a good feeling about Carissa. She was ever so genuine. So how? How could someone have the decency to look you in the eye and say _"I love you"_?

But it appears Carissa did. She broke the red-headed Nord's heart to a million pieces, and he had to except the truth: Carissa Larue had played him for a fool.

* * *

**A/N: Aw no, Bryn! That's not true!**

**LOL, I bet most of you were expecting Mercer to tell them that Carissa was dead. That was my original intention too. But I had two possible scenes written in my notebook. I decided to go with this one. It will add a bit more spice to it when Carissa finally returns to the Guild :)  
**


	23. Watchful Eyes

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: On the way to the College of Winterhold  
16****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
11:45am

Carissa had left Maya under Karliah's care while she would travel to the College of Winterhold to meet this Enthir. There was no way that her beloved pet wolf could go for another adventure. In a way, Maya had suffered more than Carissa. The last thing she would want to do is put her companion in more harm. But it was not as if Carissa was fine and dandy. She continued to walk to Winterhold with much discomfort. Even each breath she took was like a blow to her stomach.

Carissa also tried to take in everything Karliah had related to her over breakfast before she left. Gallus Desidenius and Karliah were close. _Really_ close. They were in a relationship, and it all ended when Mercer decided to get rid of Gallus and put the blame on Karliah, who had no choice but to flee. So now she's back for her revenge, and to avenge Gallus and to put Mercer away for good.

And as of now, Carissa cared about putting Mercer into the ground.

* * *

**Location: The Frozen Hearth  
2:37pm**

"Enthir of the College of Winterhold?"

Karliah had given Carissa Enthir's description: Wood Elf, brown eyes and brown hair. She suggested that Carissa find him in Winterhold's inn before trying her luck at the College. Along the way, she had been trying to figure out a way to enter the College, but it appears that she might not have to anymore.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

_Perfect. _"Name's Carissa. I'm an associate of Karliah's. I believe you know her."

The Wood Elf's facial expression hardened as he spoke again. "Karliah? Then you've found it." It was as if Enthir was waiting for this news the whole time. "Do you have Gallus' journal?"

"Damn, you're good," She couldn't help but say. "I do," She confirmed as she fished it out of her tiny bag. "But there's a little tiny problem: it's written in some kind of foreign language," She handed over the journal to Enthir.

"Foreign language? Well, let's take a look at it then," Enthir accepted the journal with both hands like a gentleman. "Take a seat, Carissa. You don't look too good."

She chuckled as she took up his kind offer. "Thanks, handsome, and no, I'm not. So what can you tell me about the journal?"

"That this is typical work of Gallus," He said in an amused tone. "Always too clever for this own good. He's written the journal in the Falmer Language."

Carissa's jaw dropped onto the table. "You've got to be kidding me! I might have to call in some favors for this one…" She scratched the back of her head.

"You could, or you could just head over to Markarth and speak with Calcelmo in the Understone Keep," Enthir instead suggested, closing the journal. "He's the court wizard. You might be able to get the materials you need from him,"

Carissa smiled slyly at him. "Buuuuuut…?"

"You're a smart woman," He pointed out with his own smile. "But Calcelmo's quite protective of his work. You _might _have trouble getting it out of him."

"I suppose Calcelmo could be my last resort. I'll just write to some old contacts and see if they can help instead."

"You could, Carissa, but unless you want this done _now, _then you better not waste any time," He said. "Every minute is crucial. You'll have no idea when Mercer will make a run for it."

* * *

**Location: Small camp outside of Riften  
6:58pm **

While Carissa was visiting Enthir at the College, Karliah and Maya were already in their new camp just outside of Riften. Instead of having Karliah keep watch of the home of the Thieves Guild, Carissa, before heading to Winterhold, quickly wrote to a few good old friends and had them keep their eyes on Riften and look out for Mercer if he had decided to make a move anytime soon. If he shifted even an itch, Carissa's spies would know. As of now, there was no activity, and her spies reported that he was, indeed, still in the Ratways.

But in the event that he would try to leave Riften, her spies would kidnap him and bring him to her.

"Still in the Ratways, Rissa. He hasn't made a move of any kind yet. Not since you wrote to us."

"Alright, Jon. Thanks for the help. Rina and Kyde are on duty now?"

"Yep. They're on night guard."

"Then here," Carissa tossed the Nord a small purse of gold. "50 gold for you and Sera for your help earlier today. Go crazy with it. And here's another 50 for Rina and Kyde. Make sure Kyde doesn't spend it all on mead, though."

Jon chuckled heartily. "Don't worry, Rissa. Rina will make sure of it. And thanks for the gold. You really didn't have to. You know we'd gladly to this for free."

"Come on, Jon," Carissa laughed. "You know I have to pay you guys. You're doing me a big favor. You four aren't even in the Guild."

"Maybe you can grant us a place?" He questioned with humor as he began to walk away.

"Why not?" She waved to him lovingly. "Take care, Jon."

"And you, Carissa. See you tomorrow."

Carissa sighed as she watched the Nord thief walk off. It was then she glanced down at her newly-bandaged abdomen and sighed again. "Mara help me, it hurts…" She muttered as she headed to her bed roll.

"I tried my best with the wounds, Carissa," Karliah said, holding onto her bottle of mead.

"Don't worry about it, Karliah," She waved at her. "You're a life-saver. If it wasn't for you…"

Karliah could only smile at her. "Your friends were really nice to have done this for us. You met them during your travels?"

"Actually," She picked up her plate of cooked fish. "Jon and Sera are a husband-and-wife team I met when I joined a small group of thieves in Dawnstar a few years back. The group broke up only a few weeks after being formed. We kept in touch and promised to help each other out when needed."

"And Rina and Kyde were of the same group?" She asked.

"Nope. They are a pair of Breton siblings I met in High Rock about 20 years back. I had made it into the country and they took me in, realizing I was an orphan," Carissa explained, as she took a bite. "They pretty much brought me up and everything. They further enhanced my skills as a thief. They are usually in Skyrim around this time."

"I see," Karliah nodded, but also impressed with her choice of friends. "You seem to meet the right people."

"I kind of find them, or they find me," She said with a chuckle. "But I'm kind of lucky to know this people. People you can trust and put your faith in them whenever you have to." She said with a little smile. "Just like you and Enthir."

Karliah smiled back. "You can thank Gallus for that,"

"How _did _they meet, by the way?" She asked, completely overlooking that little detail.

"Quite an amusing tale, actually," She brought her knees to her chest and circled her arms around them. "One night, Gallus was caught breaking into a laboratory owned by Enthir. Before he could call the guards, Gallus made a remark that intrigued him. The two struck up a conversation, and eventually became dear friends."

"Just like that?" The Breton raised an eyebrow.

She nodded. "Just like that."

"Gallus was really lucky,"

"Not lucky enough though…" Suddenly, Carissa could hear the sorrow in Karliah's tone. "Or else he would still be here…"

"Alright no," Carissa put her plate down and shook her head as she chewed. "No. No tears. Not now. Listen to me, Karliah," She gently took her hands. "It's all about avenging Gallus now. You can't think about the past."

"I've always wondered, you know…" Karliah's mind began to drift away; the signs were in her violet eyes. The signs of pain and grief. "Whether he suffered. Whether Gallus was in pain at the time it happened. Whether he was thinking about me before his life was stolen from him…"

"Sweetie, stop," Carissa begged softly. "I know it hurts, but you're just one step closer to getting Mercer and making sure he pays for it all. Once my contact writes back to us with what he knows, we can translate the journal and bring it to the Guild! It'll all be alright, I promise you."

Karliah finally glanced at Carissa with her astonishing violet eyes. "And you're certain your friend will write back to us?"

"He will. He's quite experienced in the language field, so he _should _have something for us. And as long as my little spies have Mercer under their eyes, we have him," She assured with a strong smile. "Have faith, Karliah. If you've been patient enough to wait 25 years for this, what's another few hours?"

"Hm. Perhaps," Karliah finally managed to smile at the Breton. "Thank you, Carissa. You are truly wonderful."

"I know I am."

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
Meanwhile… **

"Boss,"

"Yes, Brynjolf?" Mercer Frey glanced up from the large ledger book on his desk to his second-in-command. "What is it?"

"You have any idea where Karliah and Carissa might be right now?" Brynjolf asked, but in a very glum manner.

That which Mercer took notice of. "I've narrowed down some of Karliah's old hideouts. I was going to try to hunt them down first thing tomorrow. Why?"

"You need back-up?"

With those three words, a smirk was formed on Mercer's lips. "So you've decided. Good, Brynjolf. Never easily trust someone, even though they have the aptitude for becoming a thief. Things like this can happen. But… you had no way of knowing. I don't blame you." He gently set a hand on the Nord's shoulder.

Brynjolf was not in the mood. He was still trying to find the rest of the pieces of his heart, after Carissa had broken it into many shards. "Just… find them, boss. And make them pay."

* * *

**A/N: I figured I wouldn't hurry and slip into the Hard Answers quest yet. So I hope this is okay :)  
**


	24. Hard Questions, Hard Answers

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Small camp outside of Riften  
17****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
7:07am 

"Gods damn it…"

"What's wrong, Carissa?"

"My contact. The one who was specializing in languages…" Carissa folded up the letter and tossed it aside. "He doesn't have any information on the Falmer tongue. Enthir was right: there are only a handful of people in Skyrim who know that damned language…" She massaged her forehead.

"Looks like you'll have to talk to Calcelmo after all. I was really hoping you wouldn't have to," Karliah sighed in disappointment. "I'll go rent the carriage. You better not waste any time."

"You'll help keep an eye out on Mercer?" She asked, packing her iron daggers and most importantly, her Daedric Dagger.

"Actually, your spies have that covered," Karliah took a seat next to Maya on the ground. "I'll be guarding Maya for you. If anything turns up, they'll come to me. In fact, Jon and Sera are already on duty. You just head over to Markarth."

* * *

**Location: Understone Keep, Markarth  
11:44am **

Carissa decided to ditch the idea of speaking with Calcelmo. She knew for a fact that he was not going to let her into his little laboratory. So instead, she was going to sneak into the palace and get what she needed. It was not going to be easy: slipping into the pllace where the Jarl of Markarth resided.

But when as Carissa ever gone a mission without a fool-proof plan?

She had to call in a few more favors for this one.

And it was also going to involve pretending to be a Markath City guard.

* * *

**Location: Calcelmo's Laboratory  
9:13pm **

Rina, Jon, Sera and Kyde were four old friends Carissa kept in touch over the years and their specialty was spying. Now these three new friends that Carissa had? They were Sheamus, Varna and Edric. _They _were incredible at infiltrating and blending in.

The plan was that Sheamus and Varna would kill and take the outfits of the two Markarth guards who were guarding the entrance of the palace. Then, Sheamus and Edric would enter, taking care of any other guards and then supplying Carissa with the outfit of a Markarth guard. But the three could only get Carissa that far: once she was in Calcelmo's Laboratory, it was all her.

But she was determined to get the translation she needed. Anything to take Mercer down and she did _not _care who was in her way.

* * *

**Location: Calcelmo's Tower**

"Alright! I'm here to get a translating guide, and THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO- Oh hey, what's that?" Carissa hurried up the steps leading to Calcelmo's study, which was in a tower. There, something amazing caught her eye:

It was a vertical stone tablet with… Falmer engravings and those words were very similar to the ones in Gallus' journal. Holy Mara, Carissa had finally achieved her objective!

But how was she going to get this whole tablet back to Enthir?

There was no way she was going to copy everything word for word. That would take up too much time, and Carissa only had so little patience.

She glanced around at Calcelmo's study. The man had an unhealthy collection of dusty old tomes, journals, alchemy ingredients, rolls of paper, charcoal…

Wait.

_OF COURSE. _Carissa quickly grabbed the largest roll of paper she could find and a piece of charcoal. She spread the paper over the tablet, and began rubbing the charcoal over the paper.

_I'm a genius._

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
Meanwhile…**

"Mercer left in the early afternoon, saying he might have a few of Karliah's hideouts, and that he's certain Carissa's with her. He plans to hunt them down personally."

"I _still _don't believe this…" Rune had his handsome face in his hands.

"Rune…" Cynric began, but was quickly interrupted by Rune's exclamation.

"No!" He put his hands down on the bench. "Say what you will! But Carissa would never _ever _betray us! I don't care if Mercer comes in with scratches and bruises! That woman is a kind and generous soul! There's NO way she'd betray us!"

"I never much liked the boss myself," Sapphire admitted, one hand supported her head. "I mean, he couldn't crack a smile even if his life depended on it. And sometimes, the man disappears in the night, and he's always eyeing the damned treasury too."

"Sapphire?" Thrynn raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if she was going where he thought she was going. "Are you saying that-"

"I have no proof," She held up both hands in truce. "But… I'm just suspecting."

"Hate to admit it but…" Cynric sheepishly cleared his throat. "Me too. Ever since the Gallus and Karliah story. It just all seems… a little too unreal to me,"

"So we can all agree that Carissa is innocent?" Rune asked his three comrades.

Sapphire sighed heavily, scratching the back of her head. "I believe her. I believe in the story of her past, and I believe that she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the position she has here. I mean, you should have seen the way she told me about her brother's death. Those eyes…" She gazed back to the moment they had met. "They were filled with hurt, boys. She couldn't be lying. She's not _that _heartless."

"I agree," Cynric then spoke. "She's innocent."

"So something's up," Thrynn concluded.

"Yes,"

"But we just don't know what."

* * *

**Location: The Frozen Hearth, Winterhold  
12:57pm **

"Karliah? What are you doing- Where's Maya? Is she okay?!"

Carissa hurried back to the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold to meet Enthir, just as promised. But she did not expect Karliah to be in the room along with Enthir.

"Easy, Carissa, Maya's fine," Karliah assured in her calm tone. "She's with the carriage and almost walking right now."

"Oh," Carissa then subsided, taking a deep breath while she clutched her abdomen that continued to throb with pain. "Oh, thank Lady Mara. Wait- then why are you here?"

Karliah exchanged remorseful glances with Enthir, before speaking. "Carissa, I am _so _sorry…"

"Why? What happened?" _Oh, Mara, this is not going to be good…_

"Your four friends. The ones who were watching the Guild day and night…"

"What about them?"

Karliah was finding it difficult to go on.

But it enabled Carissa to put together the pieces just by the expression on her face. "… He _killed _them?! All _four _of them?! How?!" She cried out.

"Carissa, you have to understand," She had no idea how she was going to calm the Breton. "Mercer is a Nightingale. A skilled fighter and a ruthless one at that. We have our work cut out for us. H-he must have found out you had spies and…"

"I-I need to sit down…" She almost whispered and took a seat on the bed, clutching her abdomen.

"Are you alright?" She questioned with much concern. "Is it your injury?"

"Here," She removed her little sack from her back and handed it to Karliah solemnly. "This should help with the translation…"

Karliah accepted the sack without a word, giving Carissa her space.

* * *

**1:35am **

"This is… intriguing, but highly disturbing…"

Karliah was busy comforting Carissa when Enthir finally spoke, after burying his nose in the rubbing Carissa had achieved and Gallus' journal. Karliah got up from the bed and walked over to Enthir. "What is it, Enthir? Tell us," She almost pleaded.

Enthir crossed-referenced from the rubbing to the journal. "It appears that Gallus had suspicions about Mercer Frey's allegiance to the Guild for months," He deduced from the first few pages, before flipping them. "Gallus had begun to uncover what he calls an 'unduly lavish lifestyle replete with spending vast amounts of gold on personal pleasures'. Apparently, Gallus was certain that Mercer had been removing funds from the Guild's treasury without anyone's knowledge."

"Son of a bitch…" Karliah heard Carissa cursing from behind her.

"Anything else, Enthir?" Karliah further questioned. "Anything about… the Nightingales?"

"Hm, yes," Enthir flipped to the last few pages. "He seems to describe 'the failure of the Nightingales', and his strong belief that Mercer had desecrated something known as the 'Twilight Sepulcher'.

Karliah almost gasped in horror at that. "Shadows preserve us… so it's true…"

"Is that it?" Carissa got to her feet. "Is that enough to take the son of a bitch down? Can we go now?"

The Dark Elf could sense the hatred and wanting need for revenge in Carissa, but she had had to make sure that the Breton was not going to do something stupid that would hurt her further. "Carissa, please, calm down!"

"Karliah," Enthir called out, closing the journal. "What is this? What had Mercer Frey done?"

"I'm sorry, Enthir, but there's only so much I can say," She apologized greatly. "You have been a great help. I will never forget this from you."

The Wood Elf understood completely, giving his old friend a nod and a smile. "I know, Karliah, and it's alright. Just… take this bastard down."

"I CALL DIBS ON HIS HEAD!"

"Carissa, please," Karliah gripped her shoulders. "First, I'll need to redress your wound before we take the carriage to Riften-"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE STUPID WOUND! I'LL WEAR IT AS A BLEEDING BADGE FOR ALL I CARE!" She almost screamed at Karliah, thus almost waking the whole inn. "I'm taking his head as a prize!" So declaring, she stormed out of the room and out of the inn to the carriage.

As much as Karliah wanted revenge, she knew how Carissa was feeling at the moment as well. The woman had just escaped death and she had not even seen it coming. How could she? Mercer had played her for a fool.

But if Carissa was not going to watch herself, she was going to end up getting hurt again.

* * *

**A/N: I apologize for the lack of action in the story. I promise, when Carissa confronts Mercer, she'll kick his behind good! **

**I can't WAIT to write the next chapter! It's going to be one of my favorites! Lots of intensity in that one :) **

**It's already 14th of Feb for me, so HAPPY FOREVER ALONE DA- I mean... HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, MAH BEAUTIFUL READERS! x) **


	25. Pleads

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Outside of Riften  
18****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
8:23am 

"Well?"

"Carissa, I know you're angry right now. But please, you have to calm down,"

"I gave you two hours, like you wanted, Karliah… Did you see Mercer… _or not_?"

"Carissa, I scouted the area, yes but… I didn't really see Mercer-"

"THEN LET'S GO FIND OUT IF HE'S HOME!"

* * *

**Location: Ragged Flagon, Thieves Guild**

Carissa Larue was not a happy Breton right now. No, she had just one goal right now: finding and killing Mercer Frey, the Guild Master. All she could reply in her mind was the day he tried to kill her and leave her for dead.

The more fired up she was, the harder it became to ignore the throbbing in her abdomen.

But she didn't care.

"Please, Carissa, I _have _to redress your wound. I'm afraid you'll bleed even furth-"

Carissa fished out her Daedric Dagger from its holster and kicked open the door that took them directly to the Ragged Flagon.

"OI! Come in like a civilized human being, will ya?! That door is probably worth more than yo-" Vekel the Man, the bartender was immediately silenced by shock when he realized who was entering the Ragged Flagon and storming her way to the Cistern.

* * *

**Location: Cistern**

"Rune? You alright?"

"Yeah, Sapphire…" Rune nodded to at her, his face glum. "Just thinking about Carissa. It's been three days already. I'm wondering if…" He stopped himself from continuing any further.

"If she's even alive?" Sapphire finished it for the young Imperial, completely reading his mind.

He glanced up at her, nodding. "I mean, Mercer could have found them…"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Sapphire took a seat next to him on his bed. "I'm worried too. I still refuse to believe she's a traitor. She just _can't _be…"

"That's because she isn't. And she never was," Rune assured, although he was more of correcting her. "I mean, Carissa is like the big sister I never had. You know, the one who takes care of you by any means necessary,"

Sapphire had to let herself chuckle at that. "I know what you mean. She's family, Rune. And family never lets you down. Especially Carissa…"

_**CRACK!**_

Every single member of the Thieves Guild was in the Cistern right now, enjoying their morning breakfast and or training. They all almost jumped out of their skins at the out crack of the breaking open of the only door to the cistern.

"What in the-"

"MERCER! MERCER, YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Carissa, please! You must calm down!"

"I'LL CALM down when I serve his head on a silver platter! MERCER! COME OUT, YOU BASTARD! YOU DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB OF KILLING ME!"

All the members of the Thieves Guild gazed at Carissa, Maya the Wolf and the new Dunmer woman coming to the center of Cistern with her. "You must have more courage than I thought," Vex was the first person to interact with the two ladies, and she was not in a joyful mood either. "By the Eight. What have you done with Mercer?"

"What?" Carissa glared at Vex.

"Answer me, you heartless bitch!" Vex advanced to Carissa's position. "Where's Mercer?!"

"Watch your words, Vex!" Carissa raised an angry finger at the senior member. "I _am _looking for Mercer! Where's that son of a bitch?!"

"Went hunting," She answered. "For you. And _you, _Karliah…" She growled. "After you tried to kill him!"

"Are you kidding me?!" It was all coming to Carissa now. "_THAT'S _WHAT HE TOLD YOU? That _I _tried to kill him? It was the OTHER way around, Vex! The bastard tried to kill ME! He betrayed us! He's a traitor!"

"Please, you must believe us!" Karliah then spoke, trying to keep Carissa from using all her energy. The Breton's mad screaming was only draining it. "We have proof that you've all been misled!" She announced to the whole Guild.

"For Arkay's sake, Carissa!" Vex was tired of arguing. "The man is our Guild master! We've known him _much_ longer than _you _have. He would never betray us!"

"WELL, YOU'RE WRONG," Carissa told her, almost straight to her face "Terribly wrong! He's been lying and stealing from you all! He's a TRAITOR!"

"Carissa, stop,"

That new voice was not entirely new. It just wasn't loud. No, it was soft… and a little sorrowful.

"Bryn?" Carissa turned around and was faced with the handsome red-headed Nord. _Her _handsome red-headed Nord. "Bryn! Please! You have to believe me!"

"You played me,"

Carissa did not quite catch that. "I what?"

"You played me for a fool, didn't you, Carissa?" Brynjolf was no longer giving her a loving gaze anymore. Instead, he had his massive arms folded across his large chest and he was hurt. "Got close to me, entered the Guild, only to take us down by secretly working with Karliah,"

"What?" The more accusations they were, the more Carissa was confused. And offended. "No! No, Bryn, I wouldn't do that to you! I'm not a traitor!"

"Then why try to murder Mercer?" He questioned with much disappointment. "The way he was whacked and scarred when he came back, you gave him quite the trashing!"

"What the- I fought back!" She defended "He tried to kill me! And he ALMOST succeeded! I'm walking around with a _stab wound_, for the love of Mara! Can't you see I'm in pain?!"

"YOU'RE AN EXPERT ACTRESS, BITCH!" Vex almost screamed from behind her.

Carissa spun around. "SHUT UP, YA OLD HAGRAVEN!"

"Vex, that's enough," Brynjolf ordered in a calm voice, but still keeping his eyes on Carissa "Carissa, it's over. You came into this Guild like an answered prayer when we were at our worst. No, that's impossible. Good things just don't happen. And not to me, especially," He then faked a smile at her. "I can never be in love with a woman who wouldn't use me for her own gain or to destroy the Guild."

Carissa was slowly tearing up at each word that was coming out of his mouth. "Bryn, I never used you! I'm _not _a traitor, I told you! Mercer-"

"I've known Mercer since we were just little lads, Carissa!" He then yelled at her for the first time, to which she almost squealed in fear. "He's _not _a traitor!"

"We have proof-"

He held up two hands in truce. "I don't care for your proof, Carissa. Just go. Leave. _Don't _come back, or I'll have to kill you myself," He almost growled at her furiously. Having just about enough, he turned his heel and was about to walk away for good.

But Carissa was determined to prove her innocence, as well as Karliah's. And she was willing to do anything. "Brynjolf, _stop_!" She firmly pleaded, causing him to stop and turn himself to her.

It was that moment that Carissa was going to something she had never done in her life, and with all the members of the Thieves Guild having their gazes on her. Her side was aching so badly, but she was trying her hardest to ignore it.

So, with a pained grunt, Carissa lowered herself to one knee, and then to the other. There were some gasps between the members.

_She was about to beg. _

"Carissa, your wound-" Karliah attempted to pick her up, but Carissa gently pulled her hands away.

"It's nothing," She assured, before turning her head to Brynjolf. "Look, Brynjolf. I've never begged anyone for anything in my whole life. Not even when my brother died and I had to survive all those lonely and hungry nights," She started out, breathing heavily to try to reduce the stinging pain in her abdomen. "But now, I'm begging you to not make me leave. I didn't do anything wrong. I _didn't _betray the Guild and neither did Karliah!" With her body still facing Brynjolf, she pointed to Karliah who was standing behind her, and was stunned by this scene. "It was all Mercer and _only _Mercer! He's been stealing from the Guild for years together and when Gallus was on his way to proving it when he was murdered! Mercer put the blame on Karliah and the poor woman had to run and hide for 25 years for no reason at all! And now because I found out about it myself, he tried to kill me and _leave me for dead! _

"Brynjolf," She paused a little to prepare herself as well as breathe again. More tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Don't make me leave. I like it here. I _love _it here and I love _you _more than anything else!" She began to sob. "I was being honest about everything I told you, I swear! I swear upon Mara! I _swear _upon my dead brother! I _love you_ and I would never betray you or the Guild!

She felt as if she was not getting through him. "Brynjolf, please," As a last resort, she clapped her hands together, pressing them together as hard as possible. "I'm innocent. Karliah's innocent. We never betrayed the Guild and…" She was on the verge of sobbing even harder. "_And I love you_. I _love _you very much and would never want to lose you for any reason whatsoever! So please don't make me leave!" She wept harder now; she had been broken. "_Please, _Brynjolf. I'm _nothing _without you…"

Her words were already being tears to the red-headed second-in-command. But he was still in a conflict about it all. How? How could he know to fully trust her? Her words were powerful but…

"Where's this proof you speak of?"

That was when Karliah quickly fished out Gallus' journal, now fully translated to English, and handed it to Brynjolf. "Gallus' journal. I think you'll find its contents disturbing. And while you're at it, Brynjolf, you might want to open the treasury," She turned to Carissa and pulled at her. "Come on, Carissa. Get up,"

Carissa shook her head and kept her distressed gaze on her lover. "No. I'm not getting up until he believes me,"

Brynjolf briefly locked eyes with her as he was reading the journal, having heard her state that. His guilt of accusing her was only being carried further and further as he read Gallus' journal. He was going to lose his breakfast. "It can't be… I've known Mercer for _years_. He can't just…"

"He's been stealing from the treasury for a very long time, Brynjolf," Karliah said. "Gallus had his suspicions and was on the brink of confronting him before Mercer shut him up. And I'll bet my bow that if you open up that treasury, you'll find some missing items and this time, it _will_ be obvious. Mercer's not playing it safe anymore. I think he's ready to make a run for it."

Still unable to wrap his mind around this all, he turned to Delvin Mallory and made a bee-line for the treasury's door. "Delvin. Open the safe,"

"Wait just a blessed moment, Bryn-"

"_Now_," He 'kindly' requested. "I need to see it for myself."

Obeying, Delvin used his own key on the vault door and then Brynjolf used his own. That door had the best puzzle locks money could buy. There was no way Mercer would open it on his own.

Could he?

"BY THE EIGHT," Brynjolf felt like someone had just slapped him across his handsome face. "It's all gone! Get in here, all of you!"

All the members of the Guild hurried over to the fault expect for Carissa, who finally got off her knees and on her feet. Inside the vault, all of the baskets were empty and the chests were left wide open and empty. There was not even a single Garnet.

"Divines… So it's true…" Niruin gasped.

"THAT SON OF A BITCH," Vex cursed, drawing her sword. "I'll kill him!"

"Oh, so _now _you'll kill him? _Now _you'll believe Carissa?" Rune questioned, not giving two damns that she was his superior.

"Oh, DON'T give me that, Rune!"

"Hey, at least some of us have been supportive of Carissa all this time!" Sapphire argued back, backing Rune up. "We _knew _she was a good woman!"

"Alright, enough," Brynjolf ordered, holding up both hands. "We need to take this slow and no one needs to go all Sheogorath right now. First thing's first: we owe Carissa and Karliah an apology. And a big one."

Karliah shook her head. "I'm fine. But I think Carissa is the one you all need to apologize to,"

"Agreed," Brynjolf began to make his way out. "Carissa! Lass, you were right! I am so sorr- Carissa!"

Brynjolf cried out her name in fear when he found her sprawled on the cool hard ground in the center of the Cistern. He hurried to her side and tried to feel for a pulse. There was one, but it was fading. Maya was whimpering, trying to get a response out of her owner.

"Oh dear! Carissa!" Karliah ran to her side as well. "I told her to let me redress her wound…! Alright, Brynjolf, get her to a bed! Delvin, I need a medical kit! Rune, I'll need some warm water! The rest of you, I _don't _care what it takes, but get me the priest of Mara from the Temple! _Kidnap _him, if you must!"

"ON IT!"

* * *

**A/N: This is my favorite chapter in this whole story. I liked the way it turned out, especially Carissa's begging. I mean, when have we never seen or known the sabre cat to beg?  
**

**Hope you guys like it! :)  
**


	26. Amends

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"_Bryn?"_

"_Yes, sabre cat? What is it?" _

_I continued to lovingly draw on his bare chest with my index finger. "Thank you." _

"_For what, Carissa?" He sweetly asked, stroking my hair. _

"_For everything so far. I thought that nothing was going to heal this pain I had in me and I thought I could just cover it up with sarcasm, insults… I thought if I became somebody else, it wouldn't matter. But how knew?" I glanced up at that gorgeous face. "All I needed was a fine red-headed Nord in my life to make it all better."_

_He smiled at me, loving my answer. _

_I rested my head on his chest again as he held me closer in his arms. "I swear to you, Bryn, I'm never going to take you for granted. You're by far, the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. There's no way I'm trading this for anything else in the world. I just want you, and _only_ you."_

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
18****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
12:56am 

Carissa woke up as if someone had rudely awoken her from a deep sleep. She tried sitting up almost immediately, but the stinging pain in her abdomen prevented her from doing so. She flopped back onto the bed, almost crying out in pain. She gripped her abdomen, then realizing that her wound had been redressed, her Thieves Guild armor top was missing.

Just then, Maya's head popped over from below the bed. She got to her feet and 'smiled' at her owner. _Rissa! You're alright! _

"Hey, Maya…" She weakly greeted, patting her head.

"We'll talk later, Karliah. We'll meet you there," Carissa tried to find the direction from where that voice was coming from. But her inability to sit up made it hard to do so. However, she knew whose voice that was, and she was wondering how to face him. "Hey you,"

Carissa slightly smiled at that relieved face. "Hi, Bryn,"

Brynjolf took a seat on her bed; he was just hovering over her. He gently caressed her forehead, ever so thankful that Carissa had woken up. "How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" She questioned, ignoring his own question.

"You passed out, lass, from blood loss," He said. "Karliah fixed you up, and Rune and the others managed to convince a priest of Mara to come down here and work his spells on you,"

She raised an eyebrow. "How does one convince a priest of any kind to come down _here_?"

"Aye, you're right," He nodded. "They threatened to drop him in the river,"

Carissa had no choice but to let a chuckle go, despite the pain. "That sounds like them,"

Brynjolf was grateful that she was smiling again, but he just could not get the image of her on her knees while she was in pain, sobbing and _begging _for him to believe her about Mercer. Everything she had said to him thus far was indeed, sincere. She _did _love him from the bottom of her heart. He just let past experiences and his friendship with Mercer blind it all.

"Carissa…" He began delicately, the guilt dripping from his tone. "I can't tell you how _sorry_ I am. I shouldn't have said all those things. I swear, I never meant to hurt you like that. Please, Carissa, you have to forgive me."

Their eyes met after he spoke those words. Carissa's expression was unreadable at that moment. All she said was, "Help me up,"

"What?"

"You heard me: help me sit up,"

"Carissa, you're-"

"To Oblivion with my wound, Bryn!" She almost snapped. "You want me to forgive you? Help me sit up and listen to me,"

By the Eight, his lover was a stubborn one. No regard for her own safety. _As always, sabre cat. _"Fine. Put your arms around me,"

"With pleasure," He did not know whether that was genuine or not. "There we go, sabre cat," He lifted her up from her back and now she was leaning against the headrest. "Carissa-"

"Hush, you red-headed Nord," She pressed a finger against his lips, still keeping her blank yet, scary expression. "I said help me sit up and _listen _to me," She reminded him. "Look, you've been friends with Mercer for a long time. Since you were children. I get it. You'd believe your best friend over your lover. _I get it_. Don't stay upset because of this, and try to earn my forgiveness," With a small smile, she caressed his cheek. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Don't worry about it, alright?"

Brynjolf was actually surprised by her words. He was half expecting her to punch him in his handsome face or something. Was it because she was too tired to try to argue and scold him? No, no. She was being genuine right now. She concluded that he was just conflicted and had done no wrong. "You're not always _that _sweet,"

Carissa narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm being nice for once. Appreciate it." She demanded.

But all Brynjolf could do was chuckled, and Carissa chuckled with him.

"But Bryn, I'd just like to say this again," Her hand slid down to his chest, where his heart was. "That night we shared together… everything I said, I was being honest. Really. I don't want anything else other than this handsome face," She patted his cheek lovingly, and was also immediately, lost in his green eyes.

"I believe you, lass. I do," He clasped that hand of hers.

"But now, we need to get Mercer," She changed her tone to a more serious one. "The thing is… he must be long gone by now,"

"I don't think so, lass," He said, prompting a confused expression from his lover. "Mercer most likely thinks that you're dead and that Karliah's still running. And if I know Mercer well, he'll assume that he has all the time in the world to make his great escape,"

"So…" Carissa tried to follow. "You think that he's still in Skyrim?"

"Oh, I _know _he's still in Skyrim," He smirked. "While you were out, I had Rune, Thrynn and Cynric break into Mercer's house-"

"He has a _house_?" She interrupted him, exclaiming.

"Here in Riften. A gift from the Maven," He said. "Anyway, the lads took a while, but they took out Mercer's little watchdog, and snatched some plans from his office. He's going after the 'Eyes of the Falmer'. They're located in Irkngthand, ancient Dwemer ruin just west of Windhelm."

"Are you serious?!" She was taken aback by that. "_The _Eyes of the Falmer! Bryn, if he gets his little paws on them, he'll be set up for life! How do we know he hasn't gotten to them yet?" She frantically asked.

"Niruin and Vipir hurried over there as soon as we got the plans," He said. "They sent word that the place has been untouched. The bandits that usually camp outside of the ruin are still in one peace."

"Bryn, we need to go," She said urgently. "Once Mercer gets there, he'll kill Niruin and Vipir! Just like he killed my friends! I _can't _let that happen to them!" She gripped his upper arms.

"Now, love," He hushed her gently. "Don't you worry a thing. Niruin and Vipir know exactly what to do. If Mercer does show up, those bandits can detain him. By then, we can arrive after we finish our business with Karliah,"

She furrowed her eyebrows at him. "What business, Bryn?"

"She wouldn't say," He hated to relate that to her. "She just said it was important, and that it would help us defeat Mercer. I told her to head out first and we would meet her there, but I wasn't sure how you'd be feeling-"

Brynjolf got his answer when she used his shoulders for support and got to her feet, not without gritting her teeth in pain and grabbing her armor top from the nightstand and slipping it on.

"Carissa-"

"Bryn, please," She worked on the buckles. "I'll be fine. I'll relax to my little black heart's content once I hang Mercer's head on the wall," She said causally, as if it was an everyday sentence. "Let's just go, please," She used her electric-blue eyes to try to convince him.

And her sparkling eyes were his one weakness. "Ugh," He grunted in frustration. "Fine. But no stunts."

"No stunts, I promise," She swore. "I just need Mercer's neck in my hand, and the Daedric Dagger you gave me."

* * *

**A/N: Well, I figured that during the time Carissa was out, someone would have to go get those plans to the Eyes of the Falmer... Although it would have been fun to see her whip Vald's butt x) **

**Next chapter: Nocturnal! :) **


	27. Blindsighted

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Nightingale Hall, near Riften  
18****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
1:23pm 

Taking Mercer down was top priority. Carissa knew that. She knew Brynjolf knew that. So why did Karliah want them to meet her outside of this cave near Riften? What was so important? As Carissa, Brynjolf, Karliah and Maya walked deeper into the cave, all her questions were going to be answered.

Nocturnal. Her influence provides subtle but vital luck. Because of this, the Nightingales were formed within the Thieves Guild on purpose, to protect Nocturnal's shrine and ensure obedience to her will. In exchange for this, in both life and death, she leans the odds to their favor. This was how the Guild had its luck. However, ever since Mercer's betrayal…

"Mercer was able to unlock the Guild's vault without two keys because of what he stole from the Twilight Sepulcher... the Skeleton Key. It's a special key that can let its possessor unlock anything and everything. By doing this, he's compromised our ties to Nocturnal and in essence, caused our luck to run dry."

"HA," Carissa, despite the pain, managed to produce a short laugh. "I can't _believe _Delvin was right! That was a curse!"

"To hold any hope of defeating Mercer, we must have Nocturnal at our backs. If she's to accept you as one of her own, an arrangement must be struck,"

By then, Karliah had brought them to the legendary Nightingale Hall, and they were a bridge away from the Armor Stone.

"What kind of agreement?" Brynjolf questioned, believing what he was about to experience was not going to be pretty. "Where's this going, lass?"

Carissa silently gasped. _HEY! I THOUGHT THAT NICKNAME WAS FOR ME! _

"It's quite simple, Brynjolf," Karliah led them over the bridge and finally, to the three Armor Stones, where the Nightingale armor was held. "Nocturnal will allow you to become a Nightingale and use your abilities for whatever you wish. And in return, both in life and in death, you must serve as a guardian of the Twilight Sepulcher."

"Whoa, lass," The Nord held up two hands. "I'm all for taking down Mercer and all, but… becoming a Nightingale? That was _never _discussed!"

"Aw, Bryn," Carissa made him turn to face her. "I was expecting this too, but if this ensures that the Guild gets its luck back, and I get to pin Mercer to the wall, and let's just get this over with. All we have to do is be good little boys and girls to Nocturnal! Doesn't seem like a big deal,"

Brynjolf almost widened his eyes at that. He briefly glanced at Karliah, who shrugged her shoulders. Well, with an explanation like that… "Alright. If this is going to help us take Mercer down," He turned his Karliah. "Let's do this, Karliah."

* * *

**After doing the Nightingale Armor…**

"Take that silly grin off, Carissa…"

"How was I supposed to know you'd look SO good in Nightingale armor, Bryn? Ooh, be still, my little black heart…"

"Brynjolf, stand on the eastern circle. Carissa, you on the western," Karliah instructed. "It's time to summon Nocturnal."

The Nord and the Breton did as directed. Maya stuck close to her owner. They watched as Karliah raised her hands and said, "I call upon you Lady Nocturnal, Queen of Murk and Empress of Shadow... Hear my voice!"

For a few seconds, nothing happened. And the, a bright enormous ball materialized and hovered right in front of them. It was white and pale blue in color with black outlining.

"Ah, Karliah. I was wondering when I'd hear from you again. Lose something did we?"

_THIS is Nocturnal? Then I've been lied to my whole life… She doesn't sound too friendly either. _

"My Lady," Karliah then got to one knee, fist over her heart. "I've come before you to throw myself upon your mercy and to accept responsibility for my failure."

Carissa could then sense that Nocturnal felt like she had heard it all. "You're already mine, Karliah. Your terms were struck long ago. What could you possibly offer me now?"

It was then Karliah pointed to both Brynjolf and Carissa, acknowledging their presence. "I have two others that wish to transact the Oath; to serve you both in life and in death."

And this time, Nocturnal seemed pleased; no longer cynical. "You surprise me, Karliah. This offer is definitely weighted in my favor."

"My appetite for Mercer's demise exceeds my craving for wealth, Your Grace," She further explained.

"Mine too," Carissa blurted out, not giving a second thought. And she didn't.

"Revenge? How interesting..." Because of Nocturnal's choice of appearance, Carissa could not tell whether or not she was being acknowledged. "Very well, the conditions are acceptable. You may proceed."

The Breton caught the quick satisfied smile on Karliah's lips. "Lady Nocturnal, we accept your terms. We dedicate ourselves to you as both your avengers and your sentinels. We will honor our agreement in this life and the next until your conditions have been met."

"Very well. I name your initiates Nightingale and I restore your status to the same, Karliah. And in the future, I'd suggest you refrain from disappointing me again." She added, before the bright sphere disappeared into thin air.

Carissa was almost taken aback to hear that. "Can somebody PLEASE tell me _why _every female I've met thus far are such unfriendly bitches?!"

"Please, Carissa," Karliah knew first hand of Carissa's uncontrollable temper. The last thing she needed was for her comrade to speak ill of Nocturnal. "Come on. It's time to bring down Mercer."

"FINALLY."

"Let's not waste time, ladies,"

* * *

**Location:** **Irkngthand Inner Sanctum, Irkngthand**

"Alright, he hasn't seen us yet," After defeating countless Dwemer constructs and Carissa further injuring her abdomen, the three Nightingales finally arrived at their destination: the large and quite possibly only remaining statue that depicts a Snow Elf. And there was Mercer Frey, trying to dig out the second eye of the statue. The Eyes of the Falmer. "Now if we can just-"

"MERCER, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"… Keep it down, we can take him by surprise…" Karliah should have known by now that there was no use sneaking when you had an enraged Carissa with you.

"Your angers knows no boundaries, does it, Carissa?" Mercer raised his hand and the ledge she was standing on gave way, causing her and Maya to fall to the lower levels with a 'thud!'.

Carissa almost cried out in pain when she landed on her back. She quickly rolled to her front and onto her knees.

"Carissa!" Brynjolf exclaimed. What kind of spell did he use? It broke the ledge and cause the entire sanctum to shake!

"When Brynjold brought you before me, I could feel sudden shift in the wind," Mercer citied, as he made his way down from the head of the Falmer statue. "And at that moment, I knew it would come to this. I ran a check on you and everything, Carissa. You're supposed to be a merciless killing machine but smart woman. And you were. But you didn't count on all of this, did you?" He then clicked his tongue, almost feeling sorry as he watched her struggle to her feet. "Aw, does it hurt, sabre cat? Interesting nickname Brynjolf gave you. And you should have seen how convinced he was when I told him you betrayed us all…"

"Enough, Mercer!" Brynjolf ordered from above. "Give up the Skeleton Key!"

He momentarily glanced up at Brynjolf, but then kept his gaze on Carissa and especially her pet wolf Maya, who was still in bandages. "What's Karliah been filling your head with, Bryn? Tales of thieves with honor? Oaths rife with falsehoods and broken promises? Nocturnal doesn't care about you, the Key or anything having to do with the Guild!"

By then, Carissa straightened her back, ignoring the throbbing pain. She tore off the Nightingale cowl and fished out her Daedric Dagger. "To OBLIVION with Nocturnal, Mercer! I don't care about her right now! All I care about is decorating this Sanctum with your insides! You tried to kill me! You tried to kill Maya! And you murdered my friends!"

"Revenge, eh?" Mercer let go of a hearty chuckle. "I guess you _really _didn't take to kindly to me leaving you for dead back in Snow Veil. But have you learned nothing from your time with us? When will you open your eyes and realize how little my actions differ from yours? Both of us lie, cheat and steal to further our own end,"

Blindsighted. That's all this man was right now. "Don't you DARE say we're no different! Yes, I lie. I cheat. I steal. I break the rules. I defy. But the major difference between you and me is that I have HONOR. I have LOYALTY! I _trusted _you, Mercer and this is what you do to me?!"

"It's clear you'll never see the Skeleton Key as I do... as an instrument of limitless wealth!" He pointed his Dwarven sword at her in taunt. "Instead you've chosen to fall over your own foolish code,"

"ENOUGH of this, Mercer! It's over! It's over, I'm taking you down and taking the Key back!"

"Then the die is cast, and once again my blade will taste Nightingale blood!"

"GET HIM, MAYA!"

* * *

**A/N: Cliffhangers FTW. **

**I PROMISE you action in the next chapter! Who doesn't like whacking Mercer around? **

**Honestly, I can't WAIT to write the post-Skyrim chapters of this story x) It's a surprise!**

**And I kinda want to do this little one-shot: a little time paradox one, where we have Kayleigh (Runaway With My Heart) and Carissa run into each other xD **


	28. End of Treachery

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location:** **Irkngthand Inner Sanctum, Irkngthand  
18****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
4:01pm

"ENOUGH of this, Mercer! It's over! It's over, I'm taking you down and taking the Key back!"

"Then the die is cast, and once again my blade will taste Nightingale blood!"

"GET HIM, MAYA!"

"I'll skin your wolf alive and use it as a rug, Carissa!" Mercer Frey was about to bring his Dwarven sword down on the navy-colored wolf, but Maya quickly got the jump on him.

"Keep him down, Maya! HE'S MINE!" Carissa ordered, making her way to the fallen Mercer.

Mercer tried his best to gut Maya. She was threatening to bite his hands off as he swung the sword at her.

However, whatever spell Mercer had originally used to break the ledge Carissa, Karliah and Brynjolf were standing on, it was causing the entire sanctum to tremor. Bit by bit, pieces of the ceiling were falling around them.

The thunderous shake caused Maya to lose her balance on Mercer and she was almost thrown to her side. Mercer, now free, quickly got to his feet.

"I got him, Carissa!" Karliah took aim with her bow.

"How about you and Brynjolf get better acquainted?" Mercer smirked, as he curled his hand into a fist, readying a spell. Flexing his arm out, the green ball of magic hit Brynjolf.

"Bryn!" Carissa cried out in fear.

"What the – what's happening?!" Brynjolf was immediately drawn to attack Karliah with his Dwarven sword. She quickly stopped the oncoming attack with her Nightingale Bow. "I can't stop myself!"

"You have to fight it, Brynjolf! Fight it!" Karliah grunted, trying to push Brynjolf off of her. The Agent of Subterfuge spell… it was controlling Brynjolf!

"Release him from THAT SPELL, Mercer!" Carissa turned back to him, making a run for him.

"MAKE ME!"

Mercer brought his sword down on her, but Carissa countered it with her Daedric Dagger. He was much stronger that her, no doubt, but she was the quicker one. She stepped back and tried to take another stab at him, but he countered this time.

Feeling frustrated and wanting to end this in an instant, she kicked him in the stomach, causing him to double over. She whacked him on the back of his head, causing him to tumble down the steps they were on. While he was enjoying his trip down the steps, Carissa briefly turned her attention to Brynjolf and Karliah, who were still attacking each other to due to the spell's effect over Brynjolf. "Bryn! Please! You have to fight it!"

"It's – not as easy as it seems, Carissa!" He grunted again. "Just – finish off Mercer!"

Carissa then gasped in pain and almost staggered backwards. An iron dagger caught her in her shoulder.

"You really need to pay more attention, Carissa," Mercer growled in content at her pain. "And the idea of hidden daggers in our Thieves Guild armor was simply brilliant. Thank you for that," He said, twirling another iron dagger he had in his left hand.

Thankfully, the armor restricted the dagger from penetrating it any deeper. She pulled it out and wielded it in her left hand. "Let me teach how to throw it THE RIGHT WAY, YOU BASTARD," Just as Mercer was about to toss that iron dagger at her, Carissa tossed hers first. "THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT," It caught him right in the center of his chest.

He struggled to stay on his two feet, but another shake of the sanctum caused them both to lose their balance. Carissa clung onto the arm of the Falmer Statue while Mercer simply fell onto his back. He lost possession of his Dwarven sword, but kept the iron dagger tightly in his other hand. While trying to get to his knees, her pulled out the iron dagger from his chest and unknowingly tossed it aside.

That was when Maya came running and got the jump on him. She bit down hard on his left hand, where he held the iron dagger. "Get off me, mutt!"

Carissa then walked up to him, wearing her killer look. She pressed her boot against his chest wound, to which he cried out in pain. "That'll do, Maya…" Mercer opened his eyes and was face to face with the tip of her Daedric Dagger.

"Get off me, Carissa…" He growled at her.

She stepped on him harder, causing him to grit his teeth harder in pain. "It's over, Mercer. Any last words?"

All Mercer did was lean his head back onto the ground and chuckle. "I didn't expect it to end up like this. I knew one of us who end up at the end of a blade but…" He continued to chuckle. "Killing me won't make this right, Carissa. It won't bring back Gallus. It won't bring back your friends!"

"Yeah it won't…" She had agree right there, as just as the sanctum shook once more, more bits and pieces of the ceiling falling. "BUT IT'S A START!" With that, she drove her Daedric Dagger into his chest, before slowly pulling it out, wanting to see the life drain out of her former Guildmaster's eyes. "Rot in Oblivion, you son of a bitch!"

"Carissa!" She heard the concerned call of her lover. The spell had worn off and Brynjolf made his way down the ledge to meet up with the Breton.

"It's done…" Carissa almost whispered, keeping her gaze at the deceased Mercer.

"It is, love," He said, and caught her gaze. "Give me the dagger. It's over, Carissa. Hand me the dagger,"

Tearing her gaze away from Mercer, she did as she was told. And she was taken into a comforting hug from the red-headed Nord.

But the moment was ruined when more pieces of the ceiling fell around them, and they felt the presence of _water_ gather at their feet. Suddenly, a few waves of water began to flow through the cracks.

The water was filling up the sanctuary!

"Damn! This place is coming down!" Brynjolf said. "Quick, get the Skeleton Key! Let's get out of here!"

"On it!" Carissa quickly searched his body and found the key in a hidden pocket, just as predicted. "How are we gonna get out of here?"

"The doors aren't moving! Something must've fallen on the other side!" Karliah said, as she made her way to them, after trying to push them open.

By then, the water was raising to a dangerous level. "Come on!" Carissa led to up the stairs, to the head of the Falmer Statue. "There!" She pointed upwards. "There's an escape just up there! I saw it on our way in! We just need to wait until the water raises and takes us up there."

"Alrighty. Hold your breaths, lasses!"

* * *

**Location: Outside of Irkngthand**

"This was a nice cape!" Carissa complained, as she wringed her Nightingale cape.

"I can't believe it's over," Karliah then spoke, looking back at Irkngthand. "Twenty-five years in exile and just like that: it's done,"

"It's over, Karliah," Carissa said. "Gallus can rest easy now," She then lifted the Skeleton Key. "So what do we do to with it? Return it to Twilight Sepulcher, I assume?"

"Yes, but… I'm afraid it's not that simple,"

"It never is, Karliah…"

"When the Skeleton Key was stolen from the Twilight Sepulcher, our access to the inner sanctum was removed. The only way to bring it back will be through the Pilgrim's Path."

"And what's that, lass?" Brynjolf asked.

"It wasn't created for the Nightingales," She began to explain. "It was created to test those who wished to serve Nocturnal in other ways. As a consequence, I have no knowledge of what you'll be facing."

"Alright. But why are you motioning me?" She questioned. "Aren't you and Bryn coming with me?"

Karliah shook her head regrettably. "Brynjolf is needed back at the Thieves Guild to keep it in order. And I..." She suddenly saddened. "I can't bear to face Nocturnal after my failure to protect the Key. I'm afraid you'll have to face this journey alone."

"Ugh…" She ran both hands through her moist hair. "I had a bad feeling about that…"

Karliah smiled at her, setting one hand on her shoulder. "You'll do fine, Carissa. I know you will. You're a smart and resourceful woman. There's nothing you can't do,"

Carissa smiled back at her fellow Guild member. But then, her eyes caught sight of Brynjolf, standing behind Karliah. She made her way to him, concern on her face.

But he was the more troubled one. "Carissa," He immediately took her small hands into his large ones. "You come back alive, you hear me? You _and _Maya. You know, even if she still doesn't like me."

Maya barked at him.

Carissa could only giggle. "Don't worry, she likes you now. And you don't worry, Bryn," She touched foreheads with him, cupped both of his cheeks. "I'll come back to you. I swear."

He closed his eyes in slight happiness, savoring her soft caresses on his cheeks. He cupped her cheeks this time and kissed her passionately.

"I'll see you soon, Bryn,"

"Don't take too long."

She shook her head. "I won't," She turned to Karliah. "I'm going to need an escort to the Sepulcher, though."

"Then let's not waste any more time."

* * *

**A/N: I didn't have them steal the Eyes of the Falmer because I didn't think, realistically, it was possible, considering the size of them and the fact that they have to swim to the top of the sanctum :/ I'd like to think their top priority would be the Key.  
Next: The Twilight Sepulcher! I'll be adding a lot more things to the quest to spice it up x)  
**


	29. Darkness and Love Returns

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location:** **Outside of the Twilight Sepulcher  
18****th**** of Sun's ****Height**  
6:15pm

"And that's the best I can tell you about the Pilgrim's Path: created by those 'priests' who had worshipped her, as a test of worthiness… Carissa? Is everything alright?"

Just hours after finally killing Mercer Frey, the former Guildmaster of the Thieves Guild, Carissa and Karliah stood outside of the Twilight Sepulcher, the resting place of Nocturnal's Skeleton Key. It was now Carissa's job to put the Key back and reverse the damage Mercer had caused all those years ago.

Carissa was slightly startled by Karliah's concerned questioning. She continued to stare at the doors of the Sepulcher with a dejected look on her face. "How did you feel when Gallus told you of the Nightingales?"

Though Karliah was slightly confused by her question, she still gave her an answer. "A little puzzled. I mean, I didn't think the way we would handle a job would be determined by the luck Nocturnal hands to us. It all seemed surreal. But… I grew into it," She said. "I mean, what did I have another than the Guild and Gallus? Why shouldn't I go a place where I can be at peace after living a good life? I didn't mind at all, Carissa. I had no problems. Sure, it was all confusing at first but… when you've determined that you know your place in this world… then get go with it," Karliah then glanced at her. "It finally sank in for you, didn't it?"

Carissa faked a little chuckle. "Ha, yeah… In my rage and need for revenge, I signed up for something without giving it a second thought. And now that it's over, I finally had time to think about it all. Brynjolf seemed alright about it though,"

"He wanted Mercer to pay for his crimes too, Carissa. It'll sink in for him too. And when it does, the three of us can always sit down and talk about it. It's not all that bad, you know,"

"Nah. It seems alright, I guess…" Briefly, Carissa glanced down at Maya, who responded with a slight wag of her tail. She 'smiled' at her owner. "But not entirely. Which is why I need you to take Maya back with you to the Guild,"

"What?"

_What? Rissa, what are you doing? _Maya thought.

"Karliah, I've been at this for 25 years now," Carissa turned her whole body to Karliah. "But this?" She pointed at the Sepulcher. "This is Daedra business. It goes two ways: you either live or you die. I've never messed with the Daedra before," She admitted, trying her best to keep calm. "And if this place is also a portal for Nocturnal to come to Skyrim, and we had the only solid pathway close on us, then who knows what we'll encounter in there? I've taken care of Maya since she was a baby. And I'm not about to lose her over putting a _key _back. No, I can't," She raised both of her hands. "I can't lose Maya over this. It's a journey I'll have to make alone, and I'll make it alone,"

_Carissa, you arrogant Breton! I'm NOT leaving you! _Maya scratched her owner's leg and whimpered.

Carissa took notice and got to her knees, acknowledging her wolf. "I'm sorry, Maya, but this how it's going to be," She massaged her neck. "We've never messed with Daedric magic before. Anything can happen. And I mean _anything_. I don't you caught in the middle of all of this. Just go with Karliah,"

Maya began to whimper again, trying her best to argue. _I won't! I won't, I won't! I won't leave you, Cariss-_

"Please, Maya. Just do as I say. It's for the best," She held back the tears and kissed her wolf companion on the forehead. Carissa got back and looked at Karliah.

"Carissa, why are you making it seem like you're saying your final goodbyes?" She asked, completely baffled by her actions and words.

Carissa faked another laugh as she continued to stare at the doors of the Sepulcher. "I have… no idea. Maybe it's because I've never done anything like this before? Maybe it's because that now, every time I do a job, I will always have this thought in my head which would say, 'Hey, Carissa. You're about to go out and do this job, but what if you don't make it? What if something goes wrong and this is the last time you ever see _Brynjolf_?'" She turned her head back to the Dark Elf. "I never worried about doing something wrong in the past because dead or dying, I didn't have anybody waiting for me. But now I do! I have Brynjolf! And ever since we began to be with each other, I tell myself to be extra careful because anything could happen at _any _time and you would want to make sure that you go home to that handsome Nord," Tears formed in her eyes this time. "I had never almost got killed before," She then confessed to Karliah. "Mercer's attempt at killing me… that was a first-time for me. And I had _no _idea how scary it can be, realizing that you were on the brink of death. There were things I wanted to do and say and I would have never gotten to if you hadn't got me out of there in the first place, Karliah. So I'm not making any mistakes this time. Tell Brynjolf that he's the best thing that's ever happened to me, if I take too long to come back out,"

"Carissa-"

"Just promise me this, Karliah," She gripped her upper arms. "Please,"

By the Shadows, Karliah had never been put in a position like this before. Should she promise Carissa? Or should she assure her that she would come back out alive?

"I'll tell him,"

* * *

**Location: The Twilight Sepulcher**

"I don't recognize you, but I sense you're one of us. Who are you?"

As soon as Carissa entered the Twilight Sepulcher, up ahead was a larger door, possibly taking her deeper into the Sepulcher as its 'tests'. However, a spectral spirit, a pale shade of blue, was in her way. He spoke in a rather serene tone.

"I could… ask the same thing of you. Who are you?"

"The last of the Nightingale Sentinels, I'm afraid. I've defended the Sepulcher alone for what seems like an eternity," She could hear the tiredness in his voice.

"The 'last'? What happened to the rest?" She asked.

"We were betrayed by one of our own kind," He said. "In fact, I'm to blame for what's happened here. I was blinded. Blinded by dark treachery masquerading as friendship. Perhaps if I had been more vigilant, then Mercer Frey wouldn't have lured me to my fate and stolen the Skeleton Key," He shook his head slightly, as if he was ashamed of himself.

_Oh my Mara… _"Wait… Gallus? Gallus Desidenius?!"

Despite the pale color, Carissa was able to catch his expressions well. He seemed amazed that this Breton knew his name. "I… haven't heard that name in a long time. How do you know of me?"

She almost smirked. "Karliah,"

"Karliah...?" That name almost stunned him. "She's still alive?" He stepped forward, unable to believe that his lover was still living. "I feared she'd befallen the same fate, ending up a victim of Mercer's betrayal!"

"She didn't, but she got the blame for your death," Carissa said. "She's been running for 25 years now. It's finally ended…. after I stuck my dagger into Mercer and watched the life drain from his eyes,"

"You… you killed Mercer? Then what of the Skeleton Key?"

She patted her side, where she had kept the Key in a small satchel attached to her hip. "Right here,"

"Then it's over and my death wasn't in vain," And she finally saw a smile on his lips. "I owe you a great deal… Nightingale."

She smiled as well, waving her hand at him. "Don't worry about it. I did this for the Guild,"

"Ah," A wide smile appeared this time. "I knew you were a woman of loyalty when you walked in. Of course you did this for the family. Very honorable, Nightingale."

"Thanks, but now, we have to return the Key back. So you think you can lead the way?"

Gallus then saddened at her question, and went onto explaining. "Nothing would bring me more pride than to return the Key, but I'm afraid it's impossible. From the moment I arrived here, I've felt myself... well... dying."

"Say _what_?"

"The Sepulcher isn't merely a temple or a vault to house the Key. Within these walls is the Ebonmere... a conduit to Nocturnal's realm of Evergloam. When Mercer stole the Key, that conduit closed, severely limiting our ties to her."

"I knew that. That's why I'm taking this stupid path that might very well get me killed… but I still don't get it…"

"I'm weakening, Nightingale, and I can feel myself slipping away. The years without restoration of my power have taken their toll. Whatever damage has been caused can only be corrected by following the Pilgrim's Path to the Ebonmere and replacing the Key."

"Ugh…" She hung her head, grunting in great annoyance. "Alright. I'll do it. I'll put the Key back. I'll just have to try not to get killed."

Gallus gave her another smile, this time, a confident one. "Your will is strong, Nightingale. You have a little black heart, indeed, but one that's filled with loyalty and confidence. You can do this, Nightingale. I believe in you."

"Thanks, handsome. No wonder Karliah fell in love with you,"

* * *

**The First Test**

_**"Shadows of their former selves, sentinels of the dark. They wander ever more and deal swift death to defilers."**_

"Who knew spirits could feel pain? HEY! OVER HERE! MORE IRON DAGGERS COMIN' AT YA!"

* * *

**The Second Test **

_**"Above all they stand, vigilance everlasting. Beholden to the murk yet contentious of the glow."**_

"This… is a brightly-lit room, but there's a shadowy trail running from here, to the other side of the room. I don't get it. What's the trail for? Am I supposed to walk along the shadows? And not step into the light? Might be, considering that we work _with _the shadows… but what happens if I'm under the light? Do I die? Get burnt? But… BUT I'M NOT A VAMPIRE…"

* * *

**The Third Test **

_**"Offer what She desires most, but reject the material. For her greatest want is that which cannot be seen, felt or carried."**_

"Ugh, DON'T tell me it's a dead end! What am I supposed to do here? All I see is a statue of Nocturnal! I have these two large torches as well, but what else is there? Hm… maybe there's a hidden door somewhere… or maybe I took a wrong turn somewhere along the way…"

* * *

**The Fourth Test  
**

_**"Direct and yet indirect. The path to salvation a route of cunning with fortune betraying the foolish."**_

"I smell traps… and lots of them… Ugh, how typical! Only an idiot would walk on a pressure plate! YOU'RE MAKING THIS TOO EASY. And here I was, ALMOST GOING TO CRY OVER NOTHING!"

* * *

**Location: Outside the Twilight Sepulcher  
Meanwhile…**

"I think we should go now, Maya,"

_NO. I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT CARISSA. _Maya wished that the Dark Elf could hear her thoughts, or that she could speak and say actually what she was thinking, but all Maya could do was stay outside of the doors of the Sepulcher, and wait patiently for her owner to come back.

"Look, I'm worried too. She said some pretty powerful words just now. But don't you want to honor her wish?"

_TOO BAD. I'm staying until she comes back! I've NEVER left that woman for anything, so I WON'T leave her now!_

* * *

**Location: Inner Sanctum, Twilight Sepulcher **

_**"The journey is complete, the Empress's embrace awaits the fallen. Hesitate not if you wish to gift her your eternal devotion."**_

"…" Carissa was staring at what was, quite possibly, a dead end. The door she was facing with was going to take her nowhere else but down. And there was not even any stairs or anything; it meant she would have to jump! "Oh Gods, _please _tell me I _really _took a wrong turn!"

But it did not appear like she did. Glancing below her again, she was ready to cry. So she got to the edge, grabbed it, and began to slide down, the Nightingale gloves protecting her hands. Thankfully, she was able to support her own weight. "Mara, GUIDE MEEEEEEEEEE-OH… I made it…" She felt as if her life had been given back to her the moment her Nightingale boots touched the solid ground.

She moved away from the wall and to the center of this tiny area. Oh snap. How was she going to climb up? This was a dead end! "Oh, what have I done to myself…"

But as soon as she said that, the floor sort of 'gave way', disappearing like smoke and causing Carissa to land flat on her back, to which she let out a pained cry. "OH GODS, THE PAIN…" She quickly rolled to her front, injuring her abdomen once again. "OI. How did THAT happen?!"

As she got to her feet, palming her lower back, she glanced around the room: it had three closed doors… and a lock directly under her feet. It was an interesting-looking lock – only one kind of key could fit it perfectly, and it was the Skeleton Key. This _had _to be Ebonmere.

So Carissa slipped the key into the keyhole and was almost thrown off by an unseen force. Her back collided with the wall, "OW! WHAT THE-" Suddenly, the keyhole shape-shifted into what looked like… a shrine. From within it, dozens of ravens emerged screeching, bringing with them a female in a hooded, low-cut black gown. She had two ravens on her shoulders, as her pure white eyes searched for the fallen Carissa.

"My, my, what do we have here? It's been a number of years since I've set foot on your world. Or perhaps it's been moments. One tends to lose track…" Her tone was rich, yet she sounded unimpressed with Carissa, who was still on the ground, her back against the wall as she stared at Nocturnal with the best confused face she had.

"So... once again the Key has been stolen and a 'champion' returns it to the Sepulcher. Now that the Ebonmere has been restored, you stand before me awaiting your accolades, a pat on your back... a kiss on your cheek…" She smirked at the Breton, but it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. "What you fail to realize is that your actions were expected and represent nothing more than the fulfillment of your agreement,"

"Ex-CUSE ME?!" Carissa exclaimed at that. "Look, lady, I don't expect you to tell me that I've been a good girl and followed whatever was in that agreement! I did this, because I wanted to!"

Nocturnal definitely did _not _expect the Breton to talk back. Yet, she did not seem to have taken offence to it. "Oh, don't mistake my tone for displeasure, Nightingale. After all, you've obediently performed your duties to the letter. But we both know this has little to do with honor and oaths and _loyalty_. It's about the reward, the prize. The trinkets, the desire for power, the hunger for wealth…"

_You… did NOT… just say that to my beautiful face. _"Say WHAT?! LISTEN, lady!" Carissa got to her feet in an instant, upon hearing that accusation. "Don't you DARE accuse me like that! Aren't you a Daedric Prince?! Aren't you supposed to see all and know all?! This had NOTHING to do with any rewards, or power or coin! I did this for the Guild! At this point of time, I don't _care _for money or power! I just want to return the Key and bring the luck back to my Guild! I care for them _more _than I care about wealth. Let me establish that right now…"

"Do you, Nightingale?" Lady Luck did _not_ seem to believe her Nightingale. "Are you sure this love you harbor is for the Guild, or is it for a sole individual? Surely you know of the little story of Karliah and Gallus? He felt comfortable around her, which enabled him to let his guard down, and it subsequently led him to his fate,"

"You're putting the blame on love? Really?" She faked a laugh. "Love is blind, Nocturnal. It also happens without reason, but when it does, it's usually because it's meant to be something beautiful. Now Karliah and Gallus _had_ something beautiful. It's too bad Mercer didn't let them have it…"

'Hmph… You _are _a stubborn, aren't you, Nightingale?"

"Apparently, it's attractive. So help me,"

"I grow tired of this debate, Nightingale. So I bid you to drink deeply from the Ebonmere. For this is where the Agent of Nocturnal is born. The Oath has been struck, the die has been cast and your fate awaits you in the Evergloam." Then, out of nowhere she gave Carissa genuine smile. "Farewell, Nightingale. See to it the Key stays this time, won't you?"

"BITCH, I OUGHT TO-"

But then, the shrine closed up and returned to being a piece of the ground, before Carissa could continue. Perhaps it was for the best.

"OOF!" Just then, Carissa was tackled to the ground by a strong force… which turned out to be Maya! "Maya?!" She managed to say between her ticklish licks of death. "What are you doing here?" She giggled.

"Come on now, Maya, you're crushing her!" Karliah came running up from behind.

"Karliah? Hey, how did you get in?" She questioned, trying to put a stop to Maya's licks to her face. "What are you two EVEN doing here?"

"Well… I tried to leave, but Maya refused to come with me," She said. "So we decided to wait until the Ebonmere was restored, and we took the route that the Nightingales were originally meant to take. The route that had been closed off, but you brought it back. You did it, Carissa. The Skeleton Key is back where it belongs."

By then, she managed to get back to her feet, after Maya was all out of ticklish licks of death. "And here, I made a big deal about surviving Pilgrim's Path…"

"It's alright to feel vulnerable every now and then, Carissa," She gave her a smile. "Don't worry about it. Right now, we'll have to start getting ready,"

"Ready? For what?"

It was then that Carissa witnessed Karliah smirk for the very first time. "Why, perhaps the greatest crime spree Skyrim's ever known! There are pockets brimming with coin and coffers overflowing with riches ripe for the picking. We may be Nightingales, but in our hearts we're still thieves and we're damn good at what we do."

"Ha! You're DAMN right!" She hi-fived the Dark Elf.

"Karliah?"

That voice was all too familiar to Karliah. She turned around in an instant, and was shock-struck. "Gallus?"

"OH yeah, I forgot to mention that I ran into your Imperial lover…"

Words could not express how Karliah felt right now. She broke into smiles. "I… I feared I would never see you again! I was afraid you'd become like the others."

Gallus brought along his own smile, one that Karliah had missed seeing. "If it were not for the actions of this Nightingale," He quickly acknowledged Carissa, "your fears would have come true. She honors us all."

She walked up to him, step by step, but eventually was taken into his arms, touching foreheads with him. "It's really you… I'm- I'm so sorry for everything that's happened-"

"Hush, darling. You did nothing wrong. You _never _did. Do not let trivial thoughts confuse you," Gallus knew exactly what she was thinking.

"I've missed you…" Those words were spoken in voice barely above a whisper.

"I missed you too, Karliah," He lovingly cupped her perfectly chiseled cheeks, trying to capture her stunning violet eyes. "But… Nocturnal calls me to the Evergloam. My contract has been fulfilled."

Karliah was, indeed, disappointed to hear that. But she was never going to voice it out. Instead, she understood completely, and nodded. "Will I see you again?"

Gallus smiled at her in assurance. "When your debt to Nocturnal has been paid, we'll embrace once again." Without a warning, he leaned in and kissed her on her lips. "I swear,"

Carissa was not a mind-reader, but she could tell every easily that Karliah was thinking, _please don't leave yet…_

Part of Karliah wished that kiss could stay forever on her lips until the next time they would meet again. She felt like this brief embracement was not enough to make up for 25 years of pain and solitary. But she also realized that this was the best that she was ever going to get until they would meet again. "Farewell, my love…"

Giving her one last half-smile, he detached from her, walking backwards, away from her. "Goodbye, Karliah. Walk with the Shadows."

"Always,"

And he disappeared into thin air.

Karliah brought her hands to her mouth, trying her hardest to conceal a sob that was unexpectedly coming to her. Carissa knew of this, and with tears in her own eyes, she placed a hand on her comrade's shoulder. "It's alright, Karliah. Come here." She made her turn to her so she could envelope the Dark Elf into a tight hug, hoping to take the last of the pain away.

* * *

**A/N: Thumbs up for the longest chapter in this story!  
**

**As much as I wanted to split it up, I couldn't. Somehow, every little thing was so important that it wasn't possible to split it up x) **

**"Human" by Civil Twilight SO helped with Gallus' goodbye. It has nothing to do with the lyrics, but the structure of the music just made it so right x) **

**Expect the next chapter to be short! But it's gonna hold a lot of significance :) **


	30. Run This Country

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location:** **Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
19****th**** of Sun's Height  
12:42am**

"Guess who's home?!"

"Carissa!" Rune may have been the first one to call out Carissa's name, but Sapphire was the first one to give the Breton a flying tackle-hug. When it Rune's turn, he almost lifted her off the ground, happy to have his favorite person back home.

"Wow! You're strong, Rune! I had no idea!" She said in between giggles.

"You're finally back," Cynric Endell was the next person in line for a hug. "Is it over?"

Carissa pulled back and nodded, turning her head to everyone present in the Cistern right now: Delvin Mallory, Vex, Tonilia, Sapphire, Cynric Endell, Niruin, Rune, Thrynn and Vipir the Fleet . "It's done. Mercer Frey is dead. And the Guild is going to gets its luck back."

When Carissa and Karliah returned, they were donned in their Thieves Guild armor, and had kept their Nightingale armor back in the Nightingale Hall for the time being. They decided to keep up with tradition, and hid the truth about the Nightingales for the time being.

"Hmph," Sapphire folded her arms across her chest. "I knew I had a bad feeling about Mercer. I just… didn't think I was actually right,"

"Well, who would have thought, Sapphire?" Delvin said. "He played us. Thank the Gods Karliah here never gave up. We're sorry for everything."

All Karliah could do was flash a smile. "You're all not to blame for anything. Thank _you _for taking me back,"

Carissa was all in smiles right now, simply overjoyed that everything was back to the way it was supposed to be in the first place, before Mercer's betrayal. But just then, from a short distance, she caught sight of a handsome red-headed Nord heading to her, wearing a small smile on his lips.

At that moment, she got reminded of the scene back in Ebonmere, where Karliah said her final goodbye to Gallus. She didn't know why that moment was playing in her head right now, but it was. So even though Brynjolf was the one walking up to her right now, this was prompting her to hurry to him first, and give him the biggest hug she had with her.

Carissa held her head close to his, feeling and enjoying the texture of his stubble on her cheek. Brynjolf held her so close to him, thankful that his sabre cat had returned to him, safe and sound. "It's over, Carissa. You did it."

"I did…" She nodded slightly at that, still holding onto him and him her. _Oh Gods, for whatever reason I never want to lose you, Bryn…_

He stroked her hair lovingly, and that was when his green eyes caught sight of the three new people Carissa, Karliah and Maya had brought in with them. "Friends of yours, Carissa?" He asked, pulling back.

She smiled, and made her way to them. "They are. Beloved members of the Guild, these are three of my dearest friends: Sheamus, Varna and Edric." Sheamus was a male Imperial, Varna was a female Wood Elf, and last but not least, Edric was a male Nord, and the three of them were responsible for helping Carissa infiltrate the Understone Keep back in Markarth. "I promised them that they'd have a place in the Guild, once I had taken care of Mercer. You know," She glanced back at Brynjolf. "_If _you'd let them."

"Well, Carissa," Brynjolf folded his massive arms across his chest. "That's a decision the Guildmaster would have to make,"

"Right. And that's you now, Bryn. Right?"

Brynjolf was unable to hold back his smirk as he exchanged a glance with Karliah. She then spoke up. "Listen, Carissa… Brynjolf and I had a little chat a while back…. About the future of this Guild…"

"And we've all come to a conclusion about the new head of this Guild," He continued. "Karliah and I like it, and so does the rest of the lot here,"

"…" Carissa did not have the slightest clue what was going on right now. "Bryn…?"

"Carissa Larue," Brynjolf addressed as he stepped in front of her. "From this day on, you are hereby appointed as the Guildmaster,"

And that was when Carissa's jaw hit the ground.

"Oh, come on, Carissa!" Sapphire slapped her on her back, shaking her shock off and prompting her to close her mouth. "You should have seen this coming!"

"But-but-but-"

"No 'buts', Carissa," Delvin said. "It's official. You'll lead this Guild back to glory."

"I may not like you _that _much, short stack," Vex voiced from a distance. "But you've been loyal to this Guild. Now, I'm only going to say this once: I think you'd be perfect to lead us," Then, she allowed a smile to form on her lips. "So go for it."

Carissa had no idea what to say to all of this. The title of Guildmaster? It was going to be an honor! And if all of her family members were encouraging her to go for it… why not?

"Well, if Vex is approving of this… I'll do it!" She said gleefully.

Everybody in the cistern cheered for their new Guildmaster.

"So, first things first," Carissa began to make her way to her emptied new desk, ready to give out new orders as Guildmaster. "We need to turn this place around. I want this to turn into what it was meant to be, and that's our home. So Delvin," She placed her hands on her desk, and leaned forward. "You're the one everybody seems to know. I want to you to see if we can employ some merchants to work for us. We'll need a weapons merchant, an alchemy merchant, an armor merchant and a blacksmith. And I want only the best for this Guild,"

Delvin gave her a crisp salute. "Your orders, boss,"

"Thank you, Delvin," She smiled at him. "Next up: considering that Mercer emptied out our treasury, we'll have to start afresh. So I want all hands on deck. If we're going to pay our merchants, or if we're lucky, they'll gladly work for free, we'll need gold. Approach your senior members and get every available job you can get,"

"Got it, Carissa,"

"Next, we have three fences available to us: Mallus Maccius at the Honningbrew Meadery, Gulum-Ei in Solitude, and Enthir from the College of Winterhold. So you know what to do if you people are ever in there," She removed her hands from the table, straightening her back. "Well, I think that's that. Approach me or Brynjolf if we have any potential recruits. Anyone who has the aptitude belongs here,"

"You heard the lady, lads and lasses," Brynjolf said.

"Tomorrow we start, people. It's time to run this country."

* * *

**1:34am **

"And what's on your mind, sabre cat?"

Carissa was tapping her upper lip as she stared at the waterfall in the cistern. "I'm thinking of a Nocturnal statue right there, behind the waterfall," She looked at him. "Think she'll like it?"

Brynjolf shrugged his shoulders at that. "Maybe. So you're switching deities now?" He asked cheekily.

"NO," She quickly defended. "I still follow Mara. Just thought that it would be poetic to put her shrine in here. You know, since she apparently influences our luck,"

"I suppose so, Carissa. Anything you want. It _would_ be a nice piece of decoration to this place," He admitted. "I'm just… glad you're back safe and sound, lass. I mean, considering the way Karliah was talking about the Twilight Sepulcher, I was fearing for the worst,"

Carissa turned to him, wearing a small smile. "Aw, Bryn," She pulled his arms away from his chest so she could clasp his coarse hands. "It's over now. Why talk about it?"

"I don't know, lass," He glanced at her tiny hands. "I guess I was just didn't know what would happen to me if you didn't come back," He then captured her electric blue eyes.

"Brynjolf," She reached up and cupped his perfectly-chiseled cheeks, a prominent feature of all Nord. "It would take a lot more than a Daedric adventure to stop me from coming home to you. I've told you many times that you were the best that ever happened to me. I'm not about to leave you for anything. And besides," Her hands slid down to his chest. "It's quite hard to get rid of me…"

Brynjolf chuckled at that, before wrapping his massive arms around her and pulling her into a passionate kiss, simply grateful to have his sabre cat back where she belonged: in his arms.

* * *

**A/N: Yay for the new Guildmaster! x)  
**

**It's now time for the post-Skyrim drama! But first, the next chapter I'm going to write is something that I've wanted to do for a while (here's a hint: ever since a certain DLC came out) and now I can finally fit it in! It'll surely be my favorite one yet x) **

**Until then, stay tuned! :D **


	31. Raven Rock Adventure

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location:** **Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
25****th**** of Evening Star  
10:41am  
5 months later **

"How are you feeling this morning, Carissa?"

"Still the same, Sapphire. Thanks for asking,"

"And I'm going to guess and say you haven't told Brynjolf yet,"

"Other than you, Rune and Karliah? No,"

"Carissa," Sapphire leaned forward. "You need to tell him,"

"I _will_. I'm just… looking for the right time…"

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Other than what he'd say? I'm afraid he might faint and land on his handsome face,"

With that, Carissa and Sapphire laughed out loud.

Five months had flown by since the end of Mercer Frey's treachery. The restoration of the Thieves Guild had been going on since then. The Guild in Riften had received an arrows merchant, an armor merchant and an alchemy merchant, all loyal to the organization. They had a couple of new recruits as well but due to overcrowding, the Guild had to expand. Carissa's three long-time friends, Sheamus, Varna and Edric had sat up a second Guild just near Markarth, so any potential recruits could head there.

Carissa had a new Thieves Guild armor, a black one to signify her status as Guildmaster. Brynjolf was still her second-in-command, but he was also her husband now. Rune and Sapphire were her right-hand men.

But as for the Guild, all they needed was a damn Blacksmith down here.

Carissa then bid goodbye to Sapphire, made her way back to her desk and returned to her work on the Guild's ledger book. She picked up the quill and continued to make the updates:

**HIDEOUTS**

_**Thieves Guild (Riften **__**–**__** Headquarters)  
Members****  
- Brynjolf (Second-in-charge)  
- Delvin Mallory (Sneak)  
- Vex (Lockpicking)  
- Rune  
- Sapphire  
- Cynric Endell (Lockpicking **__**–**__** Jailbreaking)  
- Thrynn (Send him in when someone needs pushing around)  
- Niruin (Archery)  
- Vipir the Fleet (Pickpocket)  
- Karliah (Archery)  
**_

_**Merchants  
****- Syndus (Arrows and weapons)  
- Herlium Lothaire (Alchemy)  
- Vanryth Gatharian (Armor and weapons)**_

_**Reach Hideout (The Reach)  
Members  
****- Sheamus (In-charge)  
- Varna  
- Edric  
- Garthar  
- Ravyn Imyan  
- Etienne Rarnis**_

_**Whiterun Hideout (Whiterun) **_

**FENCES  
**_**Tonilia (Riften)  
Mallus Maccius (Honningbrew Meadery)  
Gulum-Ei (Winking Skeever, Solitude)  
Enthir (College of Winterhold, Winterhold)  
Niranye (Windhelm Marketplace, Windhelm)  
Endon (Silver Blood Inn, Markarth)**_

**CLIENTS  
**_**Maven Black-Briar (Riften)  
Darius Ryn (Dawnstar)  
Sonnera Rivera (Solitude) **_

Carissa bit her lower lip at the Whiterun Hideout. The Thieves Guild had a home in Riften and in Markarth, but having one in the middle _would_ be effective. She sighed heavily to herself as she pondered how she was going to make this work…

"Bryn!"

"… You yelled, Carissa?"

"I did! Get your handsome Nordic face over here!"

Brynjolf made his way over to his Guildmaster's desk and stood in front of her, smiling. "What can I do for you, boss?"

As always, she held her own sweet smile for her handsome red-headed Nord. "What do you think about a hideout in the Whiterun Hold? I figured we might need some influence in the middle. Don't you think?"

He nodded at that, taking a glance at the ledger book at the same time. "Agreed, love. We'll post any and all new recruits to a hideout there once we set it up. I'll have some of our people get started,"

"Perfect! Now, have you gotten me a Blacksmith yet?"

"Well, lass," He scratched the back of his head, wondering how to tell his wife this. "There's someone I know, now that I think about it, but he left the Guild a while back. I don't know if he'd be interested in coming back now that we're back on our feet, but he's a great Blacksmith,"

Carissa sat down the quill and walked over to him, satisfied. "Bryn, that's all I need! I'll go get him! What's his name, where does he currently stay and would I have to pay him an arm and a leg to get him to stay here? I'm really getting sick of running up to Balimund. I don't want him to get suspicious," She then pulled an unhappy face, arms folded across her chest.

He chuckled at that. "Name's Glover Mallory. Last I heard, he's in Raven Rock in Solstheim and no, I don't think so,"

"Wait…" She held up one hand. "_Mallory_? As in _our _Mallory?"

He nodded, holing his smile. "Yes, love. Our Mallory. Actually, Glover and Delvin are brothers. Delvin still keeps in contact with him. At least… I think he does…"

"And he'd be perfect here as our Blacksmith?"

"Thieving is in his blood, lass. But so is blacksmithing," He said. "So yes, if he'd like to return, he'd be perfect,"

"That's good enough for me, Bryn. I'll go get him,"

"Wait, _now_?"

"_Yes_, now!" Carissa turned to the trophy cupboard behind her and grabbed her Daedric Dagger from one of the empty slots. "I'll take my handsome Imperial right-hand man with me. So I'll need you to hold down the fort until I come back,"

"Well, if this is what my beloved Guildmaster wants…" Brynjolf sighed.

Carissa knew exactly where her husband was driving towards to. "It's just for a little while, sweetie. I'll be back before you know it!" She flashed a grin.

"Alright," He knew there was no point in arguing with his electric-blue eyed Breton. "Take care of yourself then. And watch your stomach; I know you're still feelin' uneasy,"

She let go of a nervous laugh. "I'll be fine. I told you: I must have eaten something bad. Anyway, we'll take the first ship out to Solstheim. We'll try not to take more than a few days. I'll see you soon, Bryn,"

With that, Brynjolf stole a kiss from her lips, hoping to leave her waiting more while she was away. "Shadows guide you, lass."

"I'll be fine," She swore. "Rune!"

"… You yelled, Carissa?"

"I did! Get your handsome Imperial face over here! We're going on an adventure!"

* * *

**Location: In the carriage, on the way to Solitude! **

"So, Rune,"

"Yes, Carissa?"

"I noticed that you and Sapphire…"

Rune's eyes widened, as he stuttered his next sentence. "…Wha-wha-wha-what about me and Sapphire?"

Carissa kept her cheeky smirk. "Don't lie to your big sister, Rune. I _know_…"

But the young Imperial continued to stutter, as his face grew brighter than a tomato. "Wha-wha-what-what do you know?"

"That you've been a naughty, naughty boy…" She chuckled. "Come on, Rune! I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen the way you act after she leaves. You have a little spring in your step and you keep an adorable smile! Come on, you can tell me. I won't tell her, I swear!"

Rune almost groaned in embarrassment, unable to believe that his little crush had been so obvious! "Well… yes, Carissa, I _may… _you know… I _might_-"

"I think she's interested, you know,"

He looked at her, his innocent brown eyes sparkling. "Really? You think?"

"Of course, I'm not 100% sure. I mean, I've also seen the way _she _gazes at you. She has this… little twinkle of happiness in her eyes every time she speaks with you. But I could ask the right questions and see what pops up. And you don't have to worry a thing, sweetie," She smiled at him. "You're the perfect catch! You have a chance." She winked at him.

He smiled at her, as innocent as always. "Thanks, Carissa!"

* * *

**Location: Raven Rock, Solstheim  
8:31pm **

"There he is, Carissa,"

"Huh. What do you know: there's some resemblance between the brothers. Or maybe it's just the haircut… Pretty late for him to still be at the forge, don't you think?"

"When he's not thieving, he's always at the forge. In a way, he prefers blacksmithing to thieving. Sometimes when he's upset, he would be at the forge as well,"

"So I see. So. You think it's time I introduce myself?"

"Definitely, boss,"

Carissa and Rune made their way to the lone forge that was lighting up the entire town during this cold night. The Nord blacksmith was busy hammering away at a piece of heated metal when they walked up to him. Being a former Thieves Guild member, he immediately stopped his hammering as soon as he recognized the two members in their uniforms. "Well, I'll be…"

"It's nice to meet you too, Glover Mallory," Carissa slipped both of her hands into her pants pockets. "Nice shadowmark by your door,"

He sat down the hammer and wiped his hands with a rug. "Thank you," He then caught sight of Rune. "Rune? Nah, it can't be you! Look at you!" Glover laughed, slapping his shoulder. "The last time I saw you, you were just a little boy!"

"It hasn't been _that_ long, Glover. Gimme a break…" Rune chuckled.

"Either way, it's been a while since anyone from the Guild's been out here," Glover said, turning his glance back to Carissa. "I don't think I've seen you before, miss. You're a new girl?"

"More than that, Glover," She smiled. "Name's Carissa. I'm your new Guildmaster,"

He arched both eyebrows at that, almost taken aback. "Guildmaster? Then where's Mercer?"

"Buried under water in an ancient Dwemer ruin after I stuck my dagger into his chest and watch him die," She simply answered, inciting a shocked expression from the Nord. "He was a traitor, Glover. He was the reason why the Guild's luck had been deteriorating,"

"So… so Gallus-"

"It was Mercer," She quickly answered, predicting every question that would come at her. "Karliah was never at fault,"

"Wow… So much as happened since my departure…" He then picked up his hammer and continued whacking at his heated piece of metal. "Of course, I would have known about this all if my _brother_ had bothered to write to me…"

"How can he?" She laughed. "He's too busy trying to win Vex's heart!"

"Which he's still failing at," Rune added.

"I guessed as much," Glover smiled at them. "But I don't get one thing, Carissa," He looked at her. "Why are the both of you out here?"

"Simple, Glover," She stood in front of him this time. "I want you to come back to the Thieves Guild,"

"Why?" He knew why he got this visit. He just simply wanted a reason to it.

"Well, I won't lie…" She sighed heavily. "We're in need of a blacksmith. And Brynjolf told me that you could work at a forge and make it sing. I want that talent back in the Guild, Glover. You belong there. With us,"

Glover smiled gave a sweet smile as he still worked on that same metal piece. "I left the Guild a long time ago, Carissa, with obviously, the intention of _not _coming back. You don't leave just to come back, you know,"

"Right, but you also don't leave without a reason," She said. "So what's your reason for leaving? I know it's the same reason why you don't want to go back,"

He shook his head at her. "It's personal,"

"Come on, Glover!" She almost grunted in frustration. "I'm tired of running up to Balimund and other blacksmiths whenever something breaks! What will it take?"

"Please, Glover," Rune said. "We're kind of desperate! Nobody can repair the Guild's armor like you can. You practically make it good as new! We'll do anything. We just want you back,"

Glover sighed at this sight before him: two Guild members almost begging him to come back. "Well… there is something you can do for me…"

"Name it, Nord, and it's yours," Carissa quickly said, proving her determination. "What do you need me to steal?"

"Well, it's not stealing as much as it's taking back what's yours…"

"Alright. Who do I need to beat up in order to take back what they stole from you?"

Carissa's choice of words never failed to amuse Rune and this was somewhat, impressing Glover as well. "A Breton named Esmond Tyne. He noticed the Shadowmarks like you did and I thought he was one of us. But I guess I was wrong. He stole my formula for improved bonemold and it didn't exactly take me days to perfect or anything,"

"So where's the little thief now?" She questioned.

"Well, before he ran off, he was talking some nonsense about trying to fence good to the Rieklings at Castle Karstaag?"

"What's a Riekling?" That name was completely foreign to her.

"Little blue buggers. They were said to be a separate population from the Snow Elves," Rune answered her.

"Oh," She nodded her head at that. "So, all I have to do is go get your formula back from this Esmond Tyne, and you'll come back to the Guild?"

"I'll… have to think about it, Carissa," He said with a hint of uncertainty in his deep voice. "But you'll have my eternal gratitude if you do this for me,"

She sighed again. _The things I do for family…_ "Well, I've never turned down family before. We'll go get it back for you. Come on, Rune," She turned to him. "You'll have to protect me from those blue buggers, if their as little as you say there are. I'm afraid they'll bite,"

"They _are _little, Carissa, but I don't think they bite,"

"… But I'm still taller than them, right?"

* * *

**A/N: Anybody else but me think that Rune and Sapphire make a cute couple? xD  
**

**I think you guys know where I'm going with this... :) **

**Never got to play ANY of the DLCs due to the lack of Mircosoft points, but when I read Glover Mallory's part in it all, I knew I had to put it in this story! :D**


	32. Surprise!

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Raven Rock, Solstheim  
26****th**** of Evening Star  
10:03am**

"Maybe you should sit this one out, Carissa,"

"I'm fine, Rune. It gets better in the afternoon,"

"Look, it's just a couple of blue little elves. I can take care of them and get the formula myself. You stay behind and rest,"

"I appreciate your concern, sweetie, but really. It's alright! I'm coming with you. What if they gang up on you and get the jump on you? And _bite _you?"

"Um… I _think _I can prevent them from happening…"

"No more arguments, Rune. I'm coming with you,"

"Ugh. FINE. But the moment you throw up again…"

"I'll stay behind, I swear."

* * *

**Location: Castle Karstaag  
10:51am**

"Is that him?"

"He's in Thieves Guild armor. He _must _be," Carissa whispered ever-so softly to her Imperial right-hand man as they entered the cave. The reason for the whispers was because there was a Riekling patrolling on a higher level, just above where Esmond Tyne's body was. The Guild members would have to swim a very short distance just to get to his body. "Alright. You swim, I'll distract,"

"How?"

"Quick and easy: I'll take it out with a flying iron dagger and you swim and get the formula off his body,"

"Alright, but what are the odds that it's _not _on his body?"

Carissa glared at him. _"Don't jinx it! _I'll give you the go,"

* * *

**Location: Raven Rock  
After retrieving the formula and nobody getting bitten by a Riekling…**

"Well, I'll be: you found it!"

"It was easy since Esmond was already dead," Carissa said, handing him the folded sheet of paper.

"Well, I told the idiot not to head up there. He got what he deserved," Glover Mallory said, accepting the paper. "I can't thank you enough, Carissa. Both of you,"

"You want to know how you can thank me?" She then smiled. "Come back to the Guild and be our Blacksmith,"

He released yet, another uncertain chuckle. "I'm… still not too sure about that, Carissa,"

"Alright, what's the big deal?" She decided to ask openly. "Is it because of Delvin? I can handle that bald Nord! Don't worry about him! I'll slap some sense into him for not writing to you, if that's the problem!"

Glover could not help but laugh at that. "Look, there… _is _a problem, but it's personal and it's hard for me to say it. Tell you what:" He then fished out a key and handed it to her. "Head into my house and go to my basement. You can help yourself to anything and everything in there as a reward. As for returning… you'll have to let me think about it,"

Carissa accepted the key, but not without a semi-shocked expression. "Glover, we just can't-"

"Yes, you can," He said. "It's the least I can do, Carissa. And besides: I didn't really need all of the things in my basement. Just go help yourself,"

She sighed, and clutched the key. "Alright. Thanks, Glover. Just think about it, alright?"

"I will."

* * *

**Location: Basement, Glover's House**

"Hm. I've always wanted to try the Blackguard's armor. It was Glover's best work,"

"Well, Glover said we can take anything and everything from here," Carissa reminded Rune. "You should wear it. Sapphire would be all over you,"

"Aw, Carissa…" Redness immediately filled his fair cheeks.

She giggled. "I can't help myself!" She said, as she picked up a large sapphire, hoping her right-hand woman would like it. She pocketed it and then glanced at all of the potions and poisons lined up in a neat manner in a corner of the basement.

But then, her electric blue eyes caught sight of a lone folded letter next to the bottles. She knew it belonged to Glover, but her curious nature got the best of her and she picked it up swiftly and began to read the letter.

And that was when she felt _truly _sick to her stomach.

"Carissa? What's wrong?" Rune asked, concerned by the traumatized expression on her face. "What's that?"

Carissa took the nearest seat possible and folded the letter and handed it to him. "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick…"

With a puzzled look, Rune took the letter from his Guildmaster and began to read it himself.

_**My dearest daughter Sapphire,**_

_**It's with a heavy heart that I write this letter. For years I've thought about how I could tell you this, and each time I imagined it would be face-to-face. I'm ashamed for what I did, and I hope that someday you'll learn to forgive me. Whatever you do, don't blame Delvin for any of this. He didn't know.**_

_**Long after I joined the Guild, I was sent to rob a caravan that was stopping at a tiny farming village not far from the border of Skyrim. When I arrived there, I was a day early and decided to sleep for the night in the barn of a pig farm. I awoke the next morning when the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes upon walked in to do her chores. She wasn't even frightened when she saw me... in an instant I think we had both fallen in love. I ended up living with that woman in that tiny little village for a year until she was with child. And then, like a coward... I ran away. I was a thief and I didn't want to end up a farmer. It was a terrible thing to do.**_

_**I didn't have the courage to return to that village for almost fifteen years. When I finally decided to visit, it was too late. It had been raided by bandits and burned to the ground. Everyone was either dead or gone. Including you... my only child.**_

_**Years later, when you were recruited by Brynjolf I couldn't believe my eyes. You're a spitting image of your mother and I knew it was you in an instant. Only the gods know how you survived the attack on that village and why you followed in my footsteps, but I have to assume it was meant to be. I've wanted to walk right up to you and embrace you, to tell you the truth, but I was still a coward. I decided to leave Riften instead of facing your anger. I said my goodbyes to Delvin and I headed for Solstheim... as far from the truth as I could get.**_

_**I'm sorry, my daughter. I'm sorry for never being there to hold you at night or to protect you from whatever hardships you endured. One day, I hope you'll make the journey to Solstheim and visit your father.**_

_**Glover Mallory**_

"Oh Divines… Carissa, this is-"

Without a word, Carissa shot up from her seat and snatched the letter out of his trembling hands, making her way out of the basement.

* * *

"YOU SON OF A BITCH,"

Glover turned his head to that infuriated tone, upon realizing that that sentence was meant for him. "Beg your pardon, Carissa?"

She lifted the letter up, enabling him to see it between her middle and index fingers. "This. THIS is why you don't want to return to the Guild! I _knew _it was something, I just thought it was Delvin!" When she mentioned Delvin's name, she pressed the letter against Glover's chest, prompting him to catch the letter before it could fall. "But… but to think that…"

Glover could not take his eyes off the letter. "You weren't supposed to see this…"

"But I DID!" She almost yelled out. "Oh Gods, my curiosity got the better of me! AGAIN!" She buried her face in her hands, trying her hardest to calm down, but she couldn't. Not to news like this.

"Carissa!" Rune came running from the house. "Calm down!"

"I CAN'T! NOT LIKE THIS!" She cried out to him.

"Calm _down_!" He gripped her upper arms. "It's alright!"

"It's NOT alright!" She said, and then turned to Glover. "NOT something like this! Glover, you BASTARD, you could have prevented this all! Sapphire, she…" She stopped herself from continuing any further. She did not want to slip into Sapphire's fate when she was abducted by those bandits. Carissa did not know how to go on. She turned her back and tried to breathe.

"Glover," Rune decided to go on in her place. "Now you _really _have to come back. You have to tell her everything,"

Glover continued to stare at the letter in his hands. "I… I can't-"

"WHATDAYA MEAN YA CAN'T?"

"Carissa, come on," Rune pleaded in his soothing tone. "Glover, please. Sapphire deserves this truth,"

"But what would you have me do, Rune? Go up to her and tell her that I'm her father? After so long? I can't!" Glover took a seat on the grindstone next to them. "I can't! She would _never _accept this… To know that I was there all along and I never said anything…"

"DON'T give me that, Nord!" Carissa pointed an angry finger at him. "I'm _not _letting this slip by like that. Sapphire is my right-hand woman. She's like a little sister to me. I _won't _let her think that she doesn't have any members of her real family left. She now has _you_ and she _has _to know that!"

"I just _can't _return, Carissa…"

"Yes you can and you WILL!"

"Glover," Rune stepped up once again, still keeping his gentle tone. "Look, we won't force you to do anything. But Sapphire, she can't go on believing that she doesn't have family. She deserves her father; you _have _to come back. Carissa and I will be there too. We'll support you all the way!"

"That's sweet, my boy, but…" Glover ran a hand over his head. "But I don't think it's a good idea. This whole thing is a bad idea,"

"That's what you think," Carissa said with her hands on her hips, after she managed to suppress some of her rage. "But you _caused _this, Glover. You'll have to fix it,"

"Are you afraid of Sapphire's wrath?" Rune took a wild guess. "Yes, she'll explode but you can't let that stop you. You're her father! The both of you need each other!"

Glover faked a laugh. "She doesn't need me, Rune. She has all of you. You all are her real family,"

"So you'll let her go through her whole life _believing _that she lost everything in that bandit raid?" Rune questioned. "Glover, _she has you_. She _needs _to know that! Glover, you back out now… and you'll be abandoning her a second time. And I'm sure you don't want that,"

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guilds, Riften  
9:25pm **

"Carissa! You're back!" Sapphire came up to her favorite Breton and hugged her tightly. "That was quick!" It was then that she caught sight of Glover. "Glover… My goodness, you?" She pulled away from Carissa and hugged him instead. "It's been so long!"

Glover accepted the hug, patting her on the back. "Too long, Sapphire,"

"So you're our blacksmith now?" Sapphire pulled back. "Good! I was getting tired of our boss complaining about not having a blacksmith around here,"

Glover chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah well, looks like Carissa only wanted the best for her Guild,"

"Damn right," She smiled. "I also want the best for my _guild members…_" She applied heavy emphasis on the last two words, causing Glover to grimace a little.

"Um, Sapphire…" Glover had no idea where to begin. Not a single clue. But it was high time it all came out. "There's something I need to speak to you about,"

And of course, Sapphire would not be accepting something like that. "Me?"

"Yes please. It's important,"

"Um, sure I guess,"

Sapphire led him to one of the benches and they took a seat. Carissa watched from the center of the cistern, making sure that Glover was not going to chicken out and run off. She viewed as Glover locked his fingers between each other; he was getting to the truth.

She saw Sapphire gasp, arching her eyebrows in shock. Glover continued on, urging her to remain calm and listen to him; she could easily tell by his hand signs.

Sapphire brought her hand to her mouth, trying to conceal what appeared to be a sob as Glover went on. He then took one of her hands, and appeared to be apologizing profusely for everything that happened.

Sapphire responded with a slap.

_Uh oh… _Carissa thought.

But then, something extraordinary happened: after the slap, Sapphire sobbed, but then she fell into her father's arms and really cried her heart out. Glover embraced her tightly, stroking her back and apologizing over and over again, but made sure that he never let her go.

Carissa smiled to herself at that sight. "Well, that wasn't _so _bad…"

"You mind telling me why that's happenin', Carissa?" Brynjolf asked from behind her.

She didn't turn to her husband at all. She continued to grin at the scene before her. "Well, as it turned out… Sapphire is Glover's daughter and-"

"Say no more," He smirked. "I think I can guess from there." He turned his attention to her. "And you, like the miracle-worker you are, made sure they knew the truth, eh?"

"Well, Rune kind of convinced Glover to come back with us. I just raging in the background, as usual,"

Brynjolf chuckled at that, taking her into his arms. "But you're still the miracle-worker around her,"

"I know I am," She smiled at him, touching foreheads.

"You hungry? It was a mighty long journey back,"

Carissa pulled away from their embrace. "No, Bryn. I'm… still feeling uneasy,"

"Still? Lass, I think you should head up to the Temple. See if they can diagnose you,"

Carissa knew it was useless to hide her little secret any longer. Prolonging it would only make it worse. She _had _to tell him, but how was she going to? "Actually I…. I went to see the priest a few days ago,"

"And?" Brynjolf just wanted an answer to his wife's sickness.

"You uh… you might to sit down…"

"Carissa?" His heart skipped a beat at that, as he took both her hands. "You're scarin' me, lass,"

She giggled softly at that. "It's not life-threatening, silly,"

"Then what is it? Tell me," He requested, capturing her blue eyes with concern.

"Bryn…" Carissa glanced down, took a nice deep breath, before looking at him eye-to-eye once again. "I'm pregnant,"

And the handsome red-headed Nord hit the ground with a 'thud', but not landing on his handsome face like Carissa had originally predicted.

* * *

**A/N: SURPRISE! XD  
**

**Let the post-Skyrim drama begin! :D **


	33. Bliss

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"_Carissa! It's good to see you again! How have you been?"_

"_I'm alright, Maramal,"_

"_But you look quite pale, child. You aren't in the Thieves Guild anymore, right? There isn't much sunlight down in the Ratways…"_

"_Ha ha, no. I'm not in that business anymore. Mara wouldn't like that. But I _have _been feeling ill lately," _

"_Oh? What are your symptoms?"_

"_Nausea, mostly. I've also been feeling tired lately," _

"_Nausea? When?"_

"_In the mornings,"_

"_Hm… let me see your palm, child," _

"_Uh I guess… So what is it? Did I eat something bad?" _

"_More than that, Carissa: you're with child,"_

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guilds, Riften  
26****th**** of Evening Star  
9:25pm **

"Bryn! Bryn, wake up! Wake up!" Carissa frantically tried her best to shake Brynjolf, after he had fainted upon hearing her news.

"Carissa, what happened?!" Sapphire and Glover Mallory came running up after hearing the massive 'thud!'.

"He fainted!" She answered, still trying to wake the red-headed Nord up. "Bryn, come on, wake up!"

"What just fell?" Rune asked, hurrying over with Karliah, Thrynn and Cynric Endell.

"Brynjolf!" Karliah gasped, kneeling next to Carissa, who was still shaking him hysterically. "Carissa, what happened to him?!"

"He just fainted! He won't wake up!" Carissa almost had tears in her eyes. "Bryn, wake up!" Getting frustrated, she screamed, **"WAKE UP, YOU BIG OAF!"** and slapped him across the face.

Brynjolf cracked open his eyes in an instant, sitting up and rubbing his swollen cheek. "OW! Talos' mighty crown, that hurt, woman!"

"Wait, I thought you didn't believe in Talos…" Rune said, confused by Brynjolf's cry.

Brynjolf continued to rub his cheek as he hissed in pain. "Shocking news can make you say things…" He turned his head to Carissa kept his eyes widened, but tried to keep calm. "So. You're pregnant,"

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Cynric exclaimed.

"3 weeks!" Rune squealed like a little kid.

"YOU KNEW?!" Brynjolf titled his head towards him, now even more stunned than before.

"Hey, don't come down on Rune like that!" Sapphire chided. "Karliah and I knew as well…"

"Wait, WHAT?!"

"Oh, Bryn, let it go!" Carissa slapped his chest. "Get back up on your feet, first!"

With Rune and Thrynn's help, they pulled Brynjolf to his feet, but his legs still felt wobbly. It was as if his whole body suffered from the effects of that shocking news. "So. You're pregnant,"

Carissa gave somewhat of a nervous laugh. "Surprise?"

Brynjolf grabbed his head and spun around to make his way to a bench. "I think I need to sit down…"

"Ugh, you big baby, come on!" Carissa escorted him to a nearby bench, clutching onto his arm.

The Nord sat down and tried to take in a few deep breaths and Carissa rubbed his back. "So. You're pregnant…" He repeated for the third time.

"Yep," She said. "About 3 weeks, the priest thinks,"

"Can't say I'm not shocked…"

"You didn't have to. You fainted," She said. "Which, by the way, was not very masculine of you…"

"I'm… not sure what to make of this, Carissa," He admitted, looking ahead. "I mean, I've never-"

"Been through this?" She finished his sentence for him. "I get it, Bryn. Especially at this age… but we'll have to make this work. It's our child we're talking about,"

"I'm not even father material…" He acted as if he was in a little trance.

Carissa was ready to slap him one more time, and this time, make it harder. "Will you stop it? You think I'm fit to be a mother? Of course not! I'm a thief _and _an assassin, for Mara's sake!" She turned her body to face in front of them as well, but was still sticking close to her husband. "But I'm with child. _Our_ child, Bryn. Whatever it takes, we have to make this work…"

"And I'm not saying I'm not up for this, Carissa," He glanced at her. "It's all new for me. I'll have to get used to this… but that kid's my flesh and blood," He smiled at her. "Rest assured that I'm going to take even better care of you from now on,"

She smiled lovingly at him, and then cupped his cheeks. "There's no possible way you can pamper me even more than you've already have, sweetie," She placed a quick peck on his lips, before touching foreheads with him. She continued to caress his cheeks with her thumbs, but as she did that, she faked a smile. "You remember all those late-night talks we had before we began seeing each other? The one about my decision to start a family 14 years ago?"

"Carissa, you don't have to go into that now," He took her hands and clasped.

"But what if…" She glanced at their clasped hands. "What if the same thing happens again? I don't think I can take it. I mean, that time, it was planned but now…"

"It was unexpected yes, lass, but we'll be careful," He lovingly stroked the back of her head. "Don't you worry a thing, sabre cat. We're going to be a family now. Let's take things slow," He smiled at her, hoping to give her more hope. "And everything will be blissful. You'll see."

Carissa took another look into those unbelievable green eyes and was immediately convinced. She was convinced that everything was going to be okay, and that it would all work out. And once Brynjolf enveloped her into a deep and loving embrace, she knew that the end result would bring about bliss.

* * *

**A/N: A short chapter, but it's a conclusion to Carissa telling Bryn the truth! x) **

**I'd say the true post-Skyrim would start from the next chapter onwards. I'll be doing things that I think you guys might not like o.O **


	34. Night of Peril

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"_Alright, alright. Your turn,"_

"_Hm… I once had the desire to settle down and start a family. It was actually going to happen too,"_

"_Really?"_

"_Don't act so surprise! Every woman gets that desire sometime," _

"_But here you are, Carissa,"_

"_Yep… here I am…"_

"_Talk to me, lass. You're troubled," _

"_It was about 14 years ago. For about 2 years, I was with a fellow Breton. Funny story I we met: he tried to rob me, I got the upper hand and we got to talking. I had the time of my life, those 2 years. I thought he was the one. I thought he was my everything. We decided to settle down and start a family…"_

"_Carissa? By 'family', do you mean…?"_

"_I lost the child, Bryn. It was so unexpected. I mean, there's always the chance but… I didn't think it would happen to me. And I didn't think it would sting _this _much either,"_

"_Lass, I had no idea,"_

"_It was not meant to be known, Bryn. It's alright,"_

"_How did your lover take it?"_

"_Didn't tell him. Because when I was about to, I caught him in bed with some Imperial bitch. So I did the most humane thing I could do,"_

"… _Which was…?"_

"_Well, what did you think? I killed them both."_

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guilds, Riften  
26****th**** of Evening Star  
10:48pm**

About an hour after Brynjolf and Carissa had their talk about her pregnancy, she retired to their little private room deeper inside the Ratways. By the morning, the entire Guild would come to know about it as well.

Carissa lowered herself onto her side of the bed and sighed heavily. She was, in a way, glad the truth was out. She did not think she could keep it in anymore. And especially when it was news like this, it was never advisable to keep it from your husband.

Just as she sat down and sighed to herself, Maya, her beloved pet wolf, in one quick and graceful hop, jumped onto the bed and sat next to Carissa and 'smiled' at her.

Carissa smiled back and patted her companion's head lovingly. "Finally told him. I feel better now,"

_You should never keep something like that, Carissa, no matter how scared you might be. _Maya wagged her tail.

"But I'm willing to carry this through. I know I can. After all," Carissa continued to stroke her soft fur. "I've got Bryn. I've got the Guild. And I've got my little furry buddy,"

_And I'm never leaving you, Rissa. _Maya then placed her head on Carissa's stomach for a few good seconds, before looking up at her. _And I can't wait to meet the little one too. _

"Can't wait to meet the baby, huh?" She looked down at her own stomach as well. "Me too. I'm ready for this. I know I am. But now, the more important thing is getting me some regular attire. In a few months, this armor won't fit me anymore."

* * *

**5****th**** of Rain's Hand, 4E 202  
1:47pm  
(4 months later)**

"Bryn!"

"… Yes, Carissa?"

"Can you make me another Apple Pie?!"

"Lass," Brynjolf peered past their room door. "Don't you think you've had enough?"

Just then, Carissa widened her eyes at him, and those electric-blue eyes were blazing with fire. "ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?!"

"Sweet Holy Eight Divines, NO!" He pressed his hands together, as if he was going to beg. "I'm not! I swear!"

"Then be the handsome red-headed Nord you are and make me another Apple Pie!" She requested again, through gritted teeth. "Thank you, sweetie! I love you!" She suddenly said in sing-song.

Brynjolf let go of a massive sigh and shook his head. Oh, what was he going to do about this beloved wife's mood swings…? "I love you too, sabre cat, but lay off the Apple Pie, will you? Poor Rune can't stand over the cooking pot any longer,"

"Too bad. I want my Apple Pie. Now go away,"

The Nord sighed and shook his head again, before leaving.

Sapphire and Karliah were there, in their room, witnesses to everything that had just went on. "You're evil," Sapphire commented with a smirk, as she worked on braiding Carissa's raven-black hair.

"Not her fault though," Karliah replied with her own smirk, and she continued to prepare some medication for Carissa. "Too bad the boys have to suffer for it,"

"And I _do _appreciate their sacrifices!" Carissa quickly defended, looking up from her book. "Especially Rune's. I've got your poor husband hovering over a cooking pot, making me Apple Pies," She turned her head to Sapphire.

Sapphire shot back with a dirty look. "And if you hadn't given him his past back, he wouldn't be doing all this for you. And if you hadn't given me _my _father back, I wouldn't have let you do all this to Rune,"

"Hey, just so you know, Rune likes doing things for me!"

"Unfortunately, he does…"

"Ugh, BRYN! WHERE'S MY DAMNED APPLE PIE?!" Carissa yelled out suddenly, surprising both ladies in the room. "IT'S YOUR KID THAT'S HUNGRY! NOT ME!"

"Really?" Karliah decided to ask, raising one eyebrow.

"Actually no, it's me. I'm starving," Carissa placed one finger over her full lips. "But Brynjolf doesn't need to know that. I like making him feel guilty. In fact, it's my job from now on."

"Oh," Sapphire sighed just as she finished braiding Carissa's hair. "If only Brynjolf knew…"

* * *

**Location: On the way back to Riften!  
16****th**** of Sun's Height  
8:41pm **

These 7 months of Carissa's pregnancy was not exactly the smoothest of rides: she had to survive 3 assassination attempts on her and on the Guild, with two of them directing towards her solely. There were obviously from people who were not very happy with her and her Guild. This was why when she had to visit a friend in Whiterun, Rune and Maya accompanied her.

The three were on their way back to Riften during the night. The moon and a million glittering stars were hanging above them. Carissa had her arm through Rune's while Maya was in front of them, guiding them and keeping watch of their surroundings.

"Thanks for coming with me, sweetie," Carissa thanked with all her heart.

"Blame Brynjolf," Rune chuckled. "He ordered it. But I would have gone with you even if he didn't want me to,"

"I know you would have. Cause you're a sweetheart!" She pinched his cheek lovingly, before resting her head on his shoulder and they continued to walk. "Sapphire is certainly a lucky girl,"

"And it's thanks to you that we're together," He pointed out. "If you hadn't brought us together…"

"Well, somebody had to!" She said. "You two were head over heels for each other, but neither of you could say it. I'd expect that from you because you're a shy little boy, but Sapphire? I expected her to be bolder about it,"

"Well… maybe she was shy too? Maybe this was her one weakness?"

"Probably," She pouted. "But it doesn't mean you can hold it against her," She then shot him a dirty look, but packaged with her smirk.

Rune let go of another chuckle. "I won't."

Abruptly, Maya growled softly, stopping in her tracks as she glanced in front of her.

"Maya? What's wrong?" Carissa asked, worried as she instinctively put her free hand on her stomach.

They were walking on a walkway that would lead them directly to the gates of Riften. Of course, they were several bushes along the way; some bare, some dense.

And whatever Maya was growling at, it was somewhere in the bushes.

"Rune?"

"Stay close, Carissa. It's alright," He wrapped a protective arm around her and wielded his own Daedric Dagger and scanned the area, as did Maya.

They took a few steps forward, still vigilant, but Carissa was secretly frightened. This time, she was not in the comfort of the Cistern back at home. Anything could happen at this point. She silently prayed that they could all make it back home safe and sound.

That all change the moment when an arrow shattered the silence and struck Rune in the back. He let go of a pained grunt and connected with the ground.

"Rune!"

In front of her, a shrouded being emerged from the bushes, aiming her Elven bow at the helpless Carissa. Carissa froze in place and put up her hands, halting her attempt at reaching for her downed right-hand man.

Maya did not waste another second. She made a jump for the woman clad in red and black, with the woman missing an attempt with her arrow on Maya. Maya brought her to her back and viciously attacked her, her screams piercing the night air.

"Maya! Maya, please!" Carissa took a few steps forward to her but then…

"Stay right there, thief," The moment she heard that voice coming from behind her, she kept her hands in the air, still frightened for her life and worried about Rune, who was not moving at all. She could hear footsteps nearing her and true enough, a hand grappled her throat and a Dwarven dagger was also placed against her neck.

"Dark Brotherhood… you bastards!" She cursed.

Maya then turned her attention to that sight. _Oh, for Hircine's sake! I turn my back for JUST a second…! _Maya barked furiously at the assassin holding her owner in place.

"Don't even think of it, wolf. One move and she gets it," The female assassin said, keeping her dagger firmly at Carissa's neck.

_Gods DAMN it! _Maya growled once more, realizing that there was close to no way out.

"Now as for you…"

"Please," Carissa's voice was barely above a whisper this time. "Please don't hurt my baby…" She almost begged, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"AH!" But then, the female assassin screamed out in pain, letting go of Carissa. Carissa hurried away from the assassin's grasp and to Maya and when she turned around…

… Rune was back on his feet, having stabbed the Dark Brotherhood assassin in the back. He pulled out his Daedric Dagger and flung the assassin aside.

It was then that Carissa noticed that the arrow that had got him was tossed aside on the ground. "Rune!" She ran to him, sobbing and cupping his cheeks. "Are you alright? Are you wounded badly?!" She questioned, spinning him around to inspect this back.

"It's not as bad as it seems, Carissa. I'm alright," Rune assured and turned back to her. "Nevermind me. Are _you _alright? Is the baby hurt?"

"T-the baby's fine. I'm alright," She nodded her head, tears still running down her cheeks. "Oh Gods, Rune, if anything had happened to you…" She cupped his cheeks again.

"Nothing can ever happen to me, Carissa. Don't you worry a thing," But not even his assuring tone could calm the thief-assassin down, who was sobbing in front of him. "It's alright. You're safe now."

Carissa then hid herself in his arms, crying her heart out.

* * *

**A/N: Well, here's a new chapter! And a little twist to it! This will change everything in the coming chapters! **

**100 reviews! You guys are awesome x) **


	35. Hard Decisions

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
16****th**** of Sun's Height  
10:32pm**

"Karliah?"

"She's asleep, Bryn. Doesn't seem like anything threatening happened to her or the baby, but I'll take her to a priest first thing tomorrow,"

Brynjolf let go of a heavy, relieved sigh at that. "Thank you, lass. That's all I need," With that, he turned to the rest of his Guild, as they all gathered at the center of the cistern. "Now I want to get to the bottom of this. I want to know who is sending the Dark Brotherhood after the Guild, especially during Carissa's pregnancy! I thought we were in close association with them!"

"The Dark Brotherhood never resists a contract, Bryn, no matter who their victim has to be," Rune said between gritted teeth, as Sapphire worked on the wound on his back. "We knew that,"

"The first 5 months during Carissa's reign as Guildmaster was no different, remember," Thrynn said, his big arms folded across his chest. "We still had assassination attempts,"

"During Mercer's reign, we didn't have to worry much about that; we were down on our luck then," Cynric added.

Brynjolf was about to pull his red hair right out of its roots. "Yes, but _why _Carissa? During her pregnancy? She didn't do anything during these 7 months!"

"They were unsuccessful before and decided to take another stab at it?" Vipir the Fleet took a guess.

"You think Carissa was the sole target?"

Vipir shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she had enemies we didn't know about. Or maybe some people thought taking out the leader was the best way to destroy the Guild, we don't know!"

"It's not even safe for her to be here, in the Ratways let alone the streets, Bryn," Vex shook her head in discontent. "If the Dark Brotherhood is going to keep sending in their creepers…"

"Then increase the guards we have leading into the Ragged Flagon. _Nothing _gets the damned bar. I don't _care _how much we have to pay them. Just get more guards!" Brynjolf ordered, hands on his hips. "I don't want Carissa to have to go through something as terrifying as that ever again."

From a short distance, an electric blue-eyed, raven-haired Breton was listening in, with tears glistening in her eyes.

* * *

**17****th**** of Sun's Height  
7:17pm**

"Carissa?"

Carissa glanced up the soft knocks on the doorway as well as the pleasant call of her name. She gave her husband a small smile. "Hi, Bryn,"

Brynjolf entered their little room and sat in front of her on the bed. Maya lifted her head off of Carissa's stomach to greet him, before placing her head back there.

He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Maya's protective of the baby even before it's arrived,"

"You know how she is," Carissa said in a soft tone, still a little shaken from yesterday's ordeal.

"Are you feelin' well, lass?" Brynjolf placed a hand against her forehead. "Karliah told me you haven't eaten all day. And I know this is true because the Apple Pies are still on the counters,"

She let go of a little giggle. "I'm just not hungry, Bryn,"

"Is this about yesterday?"

Her silence was the only answer he needed.

"It's over, Carissa," He took one hand. "You don't have to worry about it anymore,"

"Other than me and the baby, Rune almost got killed, Bryn!" She suddenly raised her voice, and the tears resurfaced. "And this has happened _way _too many times… It was bearable when I wasn't with child but now that I am…" She ran her hands through her usually tied hair. "… I can't take it…"

"Hey, hey, take it easy there, lass," He put a soft grip on her shoulders. "Things like this happen. We knew that,"

"We did, yes but…" She was finding it hard to look at Bryn in the eye. "But now that we are going to have a _child_, we can't afford to let things like this happen anymore!"

"Then we'll just be careful, Carissa-"

"There's no _point _in being careful either, Bryn! Don't you get it? This is our line of work!" A tear fell. "The danger is one of the many things we are prone to! I can't lose this child as well, Bryn. I'll simply _die_,"

"What are you saying?" He took both of her hands this time, in an attempt to calm her down. "Do you want to quit this business, Carissa?"

More tears streamed down her cheeks as she held a faked smile. "That's… _not _what I'm trying to say…"

Brynjolf tried to decipher her teary look and make sense of her words. But when he finally thought he did, he dreaded to even say it. "You… you want to _give up our child_?"

"Brynjolf," She reached forward and cupped his cheeks. "Please think about it: we leave this business, what else can we do? We've never tried to make an honest living before so how are we going to put a roof over our heads and raise our child?"

"You want me to do something else other than thieving? I'll work at the docks! I'll work in an inn! I'll become a blacksmith's apprentice! I'll become all _three _if I have to and work day and night, but I am _not _giving up our child!" He argued back, appalled by her suggestion.

"Sure, sure," She removed her hands from his cheeks and nodded at that disapprovingly. "And that'll leave me alone in our house with our kid, available to our enemies who might still want to try their luck at killing me since their attempt _failed yesterday_!"

Brynjolf had no answer for that. He continued to stare at her with a revolted look.

"Don't you get it, sweetie?" She held back a sob. "No matter what life we're going to pick, we're still targets. We're still going to have people who want us dead. We're stilling going to have people who want to make us pay. _Especially _me. You think _I_ still don't have people who want me dead even after all these years? Some people don't give up that easily, Bryn,"

He now looked like he was trying to hold back his own sob. He only had tears gleaming in his green eyes. "Carissa… you _can't _ask me to agree to this…"

She faked another smile and caressed his cheek. "I'm not, sweetie. I _don't _want you to do anything you don't want. Just think about it for a few days. I'll agree to whatever _you _want. He's your son too,"

Brynjolf narrowed his eyes at her, upon hearing that last statement. Did he just hear what he thought he just heard? "… Son?"

This time she flashed a real smile. "It's a boy. The friend I was visiting yesterday? She told me. She knows these kinds of things…" She smiled wider that the sight of Brynjolf's half-smile. "And I know he's going to look as handsome as you,"

He placed one hand on her stomach, prompting Carissa to put her own hand over his. She didn't bother saying another word; she decided to tell him have his moment right now. She knew he was upset by her request, but as a mother, Carissa felt as if she had no choice in the matter. If this was another time, the thought would not have crossed her mind, but they weren't in another time. They were here right now. And here was in fact, a bad time. And it was driving the both of them to make a hard decision.

* * *

**A/N: Well, here's my big post-Skyrim plan!  
**

**Hope it isn't too much, but this direction took up months of planning. It's the reason why I didn't dive into this story after Runaway With My Heart x)**


	36. Another Time

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
31****st**** of Last Seed  
9:42pm  
(1 month later)**

_"So. You're pregnant…" _

_"Yep, about 3 weeks, the priest thinks,"_

_"Can't say I'm not shocked…"_

_"You didn't have to. You fainted, which by the way, was not very masculine of you…"_

_"I'm… not sure what to make of this, Carissa. I mean, I've never-"_

_"Been through this? I get it, Bryn. Especially at this age… but we'll have to make this work. It's our child we're talking about,"_

_"I'm not even father material…" _

"_Will you stop it? You think I'm fit to be a mother? Of course not! I'm a thief and an assassin, for Mara's sake! But I'm with child. Our child, Bryn. Whatever it takes, we have to make this work…"_

_"And I'm not saying I'm not up for this, Carissa. It's all new for me. I'll have to get used to this… but that kid's my flesh and blood. Rest assured that I'm going to take even better care of you from now on,"_

_And I've just destroyed everything, haven't I? _Carissa thought as she sat at her desk, halting the work on her ledger book. She twirled the quill in her hands, completely forgetting what she was going to write. She put the quill down in frustration and shut the book, mad at herself.

When she gave Brynjolf the suggestion that they give up their son for his safety, she immediately knew it was a bad idea. How could she take away something from Brynjolf like that? They would have been first-time parents, but now that was not going to happen.

Because her handsome red-headed Nord had just given her the green light. He thought about for a very long time, and the last thing he would want was for his only son to get hurt just by being around the Guild. With a heavy heart, he told his wife of his decision, and they make to the conclusion of giving him up to the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun, and make no effort to ever contact him. The connection could make their son a target to all enemies of the Thieves Guild, so they had to keep this a secret the best they could. Of course, their enemies knew she was pregnant, considering all of the assassination attempts but if there was no child for them to get a hold of…

Carissa wondered if Brynjolf hated her for this decision. He did not appear to be, but the thought was poking at her. She had requested something that could easily put a strain on their marriage. He didn't agree to this with a whole heart for sure. So she questioned whether if this was enough to bring hate to their relationship.

"Sapphire, sweetie?"

"Hey, Carissa! What do you need?" Sapphire skipped over to her boss's desk with a smile.

She returned the smile. "Could you get yourself, Karliah and Vex together? Please?"

"Um, alright. What's this about?"

"I just… I just need to speak to my girls,"

* * *

**9:51pm **

"So… I think Brynjolf hates me,"

Karliah, Vex and Sapphire exchanged a look of confusion with each other upon their Guildmaster's opening statement. "What? Why would you say that?" Vex questioned.

"Exactly. He was almost hugging you to death this morning," Sapphire added with a little humor in her tone.

Carissa faked a laugh at her girls' innocence. She leaned against the bedframe. "I think you all forgot what I'm about to do to his only son,"

"Carissa, you and Brynjolf talked about this," Karliah said.

"_I _talked about it, Karliah. I was the one who dumped this on him a month ago,"

"He understood why you wanted this. He said so himself," Sapphire said. "Sure he's not doing this with all his heart, but neither are you! The both of you don't want your son to get caught in the middle of all this. Raising a child in the Ratways or anywhere is dangerous as long as you're in this line of work,"

"And dropping all of this is no point either. Your enemies might still come after you," Karliah added, her arms cross her chest.

Everything her ladies had just said, Carissa said the exact same thing to Brynjolf. It made her all the more frustrated. "Yes but…" She tried to prevent tears from forming, but she couldn't. It was as if she was tired of hiding her feelings. "I feel like… I'm denying Brynjolf of something that was meant to be his. I'm denying him of his only child. He may understand why I wanted to go this direction but… but _surely _he hates me for considering this in the first place? Surely _some _part of him simply _loathes _all that's happening right now?"

"Alright," Vex pushed herself off the wall and dumped herself on the bed, next to Carissa. "Let me ask you this, short stack: did Brynjolf ever say he hated you?"

"No…"

"Did he do anything to show he was upset with you?"

"No-"

"Carissa, he _doesn't _hate you! He _completely _understands!" Vex sighed heavily and decided to go another direction. "Let me tell you something: before the two of you got together, every time you went out for a job, the only thing he could _ever _talk about was you!"

Carissa narrowed her eyes at that. "R-really?"

"Carissa, it annoyed so much that I was ready to push him into the water!" She said. "He _wouldn't _shut up! It was 'Carissa this' and 'Carissa that'. He loves you, Carissa. Nothing was ever going to change that. Not even making a decision that would _save _your only child. You know what? Enough talk. Let's get the big Nord in here to clear things up. BRYN!"

"Shh!" Carissa reached forward and covered her mouth. "Don't call for him! I don't want him to know about this!"

Vex pulled Carissa's hand away. "That you're talking behind his back?"

Carissa pouted and sighed once again.

"Listen, Carissa," Sapphire then spoke up. "The fact that you are making this assumption about Bryn is even worse than the decision about your son. I told you: he's the most loving person you can find! You're a lucky girl! Don't ever doubt his love for you!"

Karliah then stroked Carissa's hair in a comforting manner. "You're conflicted right now, Carissa. And you're making things up in your head. Just talk to Brynjolf, be around him. And I'm sure all your worries will fly right out the window,"

"We don't have a window here, Karliah," Vex couldn't help but point out in a sarcastic manner.

"Oh, you know what I mean!"

"The point is, Carissa," Karliah turned to her. "If Brynjolf hated you, he wouldn't agree to give up the child."

* * *

**2****nd**** of Hearthfire  
11:47pm**

"What are you still doing awake, sabre cat?"

Carissa looked up from her hands as Brynjolf sat opposite her on their bed. "I'm not sleepy. And neither is your son,"

"Ah," He held a small sweet smile for his wife. "What you got there?" He noticed a tiny object in her hands.

"Oh this…" She held it up for him to see. It was a necklace and its locket had a craving of 'The Guild' shadowmark on it. "Just something I had Glover make a while back,"

"It's lovely," He ran a finger over the locket. "Who is it for?"

"Our son,"

Brynjolf looked at her with puzzled eyes. "Our son? What do you mean?"

"Well I was thinking and… I know we're handing him over to Danica. We agreed that we would never have any connections with them for his sake. But…" She glanced at the necklace. "But I was thinking that maybe when our son is old enough, when he can protect himself, the temple can tell him who we are and if he wants to, he can come visit us,"

"The shadowmark on the locket…"

"And we can recognize him too," She gave her own small smile. "But of course, that's only if the temple want to. I mean, by then he would have been with them for a very long time and surely they wouldn't want to… give him away…" Carissa didn't know how to continue, so she didn't.

But Brynjolf took her hand. "You mean well, love. I think it's fair. I'll speak Danica about this,"

"Thanks, handsome," She then cupped his cheeks lovingly and touched foreheads with him. Then, she gasped slightly and giggled. "He's kicking! Bryn, he's kicking!"

"Really?" Carissa quickly guided his hands to her stomach to let him feel the baby kick. And he gave a hard one. "A little eager, isn't he?" He chuckled

"Looks like it," She giggled uncontrollably. "Anytime now."

* * *

**3****rd**** of Hearthfire  
6:14pm **

"By the _Eight_, he's perfect…" Brynjolf almost squealed as cradled his newborn boy in his massive arms. If happiness wasn't filling his heart right now, he would cry. He would cry because he knew that this was going to be one of the last few times he would hold him in his arms. "Carissa? Wake up, love. Please wake up. Take a look at your son,"

Carissa had been knocked out for quite a while and this was greatly worrying Brynjolf. But all those disappeared like smoke when he saw her eyes flutter to an open. "Bryn?"

He allowed a wide smile to form on his face. "Slowly, Carissa," He said softly as she rose to sit up. Sapphire quickly aided her. "Want to say hi to your handsome son?"

Carissa could not prevent those tears of happiness from forming in her tired eyes as she took her son into her arms. "Oh my _Gods_, he's perfect! Hi, sweetie! Oh, Bryn," She took a quick glance at him. "He's perfect! He looks just like you!"

"I don't know, Carissa," Sapphire glanced over her shoulder with a cheeky smile. "He looks like you from this side,"

"Nonetheless, he's perfect," She said, smiling away. "You hear me, sweetie? You're perfect. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise,"

"He won't," Brynjolf caressed his tiny head. "If he's got your personality, he'll probably kill the person who tells him otherwise,"

"Oh Gods, Bryn, I'm in pain. I _really _can't laugh!" She said with a chuckle. She then took a moment to look at her husband and say, "I'm sorry, Bryn,"

He glanced at her. "For what, love?"

Her smile was gone. Instead, she had an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry,"

Right then, Brynjolf understood what she meant. He gave her another smile and ran a hand past her cheek. "It's not your fault, Carissa. It's fate,"

"If only we were in another time…"

* * *

**Location: Temple of Kynareth, Whiterun  
11****th**** of Hearthfire  
9:51pm **

"We could have done this, Brynjolf. You didn't have to come,"

"I am the boy's father, lad. I have every right to come,"

"And what about Carissa?"

"I'll tell her myself," Brynjolf turned his attention to the priestess of Kynareth when she made her way to Brynjolf, Rune and Karliah. "Greetings, Danica,"

"And you, Brynjolf," Danica Pure-Spring nodded to them and spotted the green bundle in his arms. "The little one, I presume?"

"In all his handsomeness!" Rune could not help but say. He had been saving that one for a while.

Danica cracked a huge smile. "Oh, Brynjolf, he looks just like you! Well, everything's all set for the baby. We'll take over from here on,"

"And you're sure the temple doesn't mind?" He decided to ask one more time.

Danica gave him a sweet smile. "Brynjolf, I told you when you came to me a month ago, we'll be happy to take care of him. You don't want your son getting caught in between your line of work, so you have no choice but to give him up. It's a tough decision, but you're doing what you feel will protect him the best,"

"We just have no other choice, Danica. We'll still have people coming after us even if we quit the business,"

"Sadly you didn't know that before Carissa was with child,"

Brynjolf hated to admit it, but she was right. He took another glance at his son. "After we leave this place, there will be no more communications. No letters, no visits. If our enemies knew of this connection…"

"Just like we agreed on, yes,"

Brynjolf felt like he was getting punched in the heart. He looked at his sleeping son again, leaned forward and kissed him on his head. "I love you," He whispered as delicately as he could, wishing desperately that his son could know that. "If there was another time… we wouldn't be doing this. I swear." With tears in his eyes, he handed him over to Danica.

"I am so sorry, Brynjolf," Danica apologized, having witnessed that sight.

"It's all for him. I'll have to live with it. We all will…" He took a deep breath. "Take good care of him, Danica,"

"And the necklace?"

"It's around his neck," Brynjolf wanted to leave. He wanted to leave this place so badly. But something was keeping him from walking out that door. He had to go. He had to go _now _because if he didn't, he would go crazy. "Goodbye, Danica. Raise him well." With that, he made a bee-line for the front doors, hoping to conceal the tears he had kept hidden for so long.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I've always wanted to write a story like this: a couple who had no choice but to give up their only child. Somehow, I felt Bryn would be perfect in this situation. I don't know why, but he just does.  
**

**The next chapter, I introduce a new character! Make way for her! x) **

**Oh and there's a fun fact: their son's birthday is 3rd of Hearthfire, which is actually Nocturnal's holy day. I decided to pick that date due to the connection to Nocturnal, and of course, Nocturnal's own connection to the Guild. But then I realized... 3rd of HEARTHFIRE = 3rd of SEPTEMBER = MY FREAKIN' BIRTHDAY.  
MIND BLOWN.  
**


	37. Lucie

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

"_You're back from your job?" _

"_Yeah, Carissa,"_

"_How was it?"_

"_It went well,"_

"_You're a terrible liar, you know that?"_

"_Beg your pardon, lass?"_

"_You went with them, didn't you? To give up our son,"_

"… _Carissa, it was my decision. I didn't mean to lie to you; I know we had an agreement but-"_

"_I'm so sorry," _

"_For what, love?"_

"_The reason why I had you agree that we don't give him up ourselves is because I wanted to save you the pain. I knew I shouldn't stop you but I just didn't want to hurt you anymore…"_

"_Now, now, lass. You didn't hurt me. You didn't do anything wrong in the first place. Actually, in a way, I'm glad I went. I needed to let it all go. It's been a long time coming for me,"_

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
6****th**** of Second Seed, 4E 212  
4:12pm  
(10 years later) **

"Right this way, little lass,"

"Please, sir! I said I was sorry!"

"You did. One too many times. And _I _told _you _one too many times I'm not going to hurt you. I'm taking you to a place where your talents would be more… appreciated,"

Carissa, now 46 years of age but still able to pack a mean punch, was at her desk updating her ledge book when she spotted her beloved husband, Brynjolf, entering the cistern from the corner of her eye. She was expecting him home from a small job anyways. However, something was a little different:

He walked into the cistern with a young girl sticking close behind him.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at that sight. She quickly sat the quill down, closed the ledger book and got up from her seat to greet Brynjolf and question him. Maya, her loving and loyal pet wolf of 15 years got up from her comfy position and followed her as well, just as puzzled as her owner.

"Hey, Bryn!" Carissa greeted with her bright sweet smile. "Friend of yours?"

Brynjolf, now in his own early 50s, returned the smile. "You could say that. Carissa, this is Lucie. Lucie, this is the leader of the Thieves Guild, Carissa,"

"Hi," Carissa gave a little wave.

"Hi," Lucie remained in her hiding place behind Brynjolf, but managed to at least return the greeting in a squeak.

"Come on, don't be shy," He gently pulled her to the front. Carissa then got a better view of Lucie: fair-skinned, dirty-blonde hair with pale blue eyes. Quite possibly a Nord. She wore a simple shirt and pants, both dirtied and torn. "This little lass here tried to pickpocket me. And she was almost successful too,"

Carissa widened her eyes at her husband, and then met eyes with little Lucie. "Pickpocket? _You _tried to pickpocket my second-in-command? And you were almost successful?"

"I said I was sorry!" She apologized sincerely once again.

"Honey," Carissa folded her arms across her chest. "You don't look a day over 10!"

"I'm 8," She said.

Carissa and Brynjolf exchanged a shocked look, completely taken aback. "Lucie, why were you doing pickpocketing people?" He asked in a gentle tone.

"It's all I do now," She replied in her soft voice. "And steal if I can. I have to try and eat now that I ran away,"

"You ran away? From home?" Carissa asked.

Lucie shook her head. "No, miss. From bandits,"

"Bandits?"

"I… don't remember all the details, and I don't know how much of it is true but…" Lucie shifted in her place. "Those bandits told me that my mother sold me to them when I was little. I've been with them ever since: doing whatever they asked me too. And if I didn't do what they asked or if I did it wrongly, I would be… punished…" She almost grimaced at the last word, pulling the sleeves of her messy long-sleeved white shirt closer to her fingers.

Carissa noticed that action, and kneeled down in front of her and took one of Lucie's hands. Without any resistance from the little Nord, Carissa found some bruising on her wrists. "Monsters… How did you escape?" She asked as she got to her feet.

"A few nights ago they were all drinking a little too much and everyone passed out. I had been working on escaping my cage for a while. I knew that that was the right time so I made my escape and arrived at Riften,"

"'Cage'? You've got to be kidding me…" Carissa murmured to herself. "Alright, Lucie. I'll hear no more. You're been through _way _too much. You need to start afresh. And you can start right here, in the Thieves Guild,"

Little Lucie widened her big innocent eyes at Carissa. "I'm… I'm joining the Thieves Guild?"

Carissa flashed a smile. "Hey, you managed to almost pickpocket my second-in-command! I think you have talent! Don't you think you deserve to be here?"

"I… I don't know…"

"You do, Lucie. Trust me," She held her smile. "You need the love you've been missing out on. And you'll only get it from family,"

"But family means a mother, father… brothers and sisters…" Lucie said, saddening slightly.

Carissa grinned at this little bundle of innocence. "You want a mommy and daddy? Alright. I'll be your mommy. This handsome red-headed Nord you tried to pickpocket? He'll be your daddy," That statement caused Brynjolf to arch an amused eyebrow. "And this lovely men and women around you? They're your loving brothers and sisters. Look around you, Lucie,"

Lucie took a moment to scan her surroundings: she saw a few more people in the Cistern, dressed in their Guild uniform, looking on at the scene going on in the center of the Cistern.

"You join? Not only will we develop your skills that will earn you gold, but you'll get a family who will care for you. Fight for you. Protect you. And love you," She said.

"All you need, little lass," Brynjolf then spoke. "Is to give us your loyalty. That's all,"

After glancing around, Lucie looked at Carissa once again, still a little uncertain.

"Hey, you ever wanted a pet dog?" Carissa chuckled and then presented Maya. "A pet wolf is ten times better!"

Maya wagged her tail at Lucie, further agreeing with her owner. _Woof, woof? _

"Lucie," Carissa knelt down in front of her once again, and took on a mellow tone. "You had your life ruined by bandits. So did I. And so did some others here. You're not alone. We can give you everything you've never had,"

Lucie managed to blink once again. And when she did, she took another quick look around the cistern, but was this time, greeted by smiling faces and assured nods. The little Nord felt a little more certain after seeing those faces. So she turned back to Carissa and gave her own nod. "Alright," She said with a small smile.

"Alright?"

Lucie nodded again. "I want a family, miss. And I think I'll feel right at home here,"

Carissa giggled, reached forward and pinched both her cheeks. "You have _no _idea, you cute little Nord, you! Alright, if you're going to be part of this Guild, you'll need a good set of armor. So I'll get that done for you. Second, we'll need you to get started on your 'lessons'. So you see that handsome Nord over there?" She pointed to Vipir the Fleet, who gave a little wave. "That's Vipir the Fleet. His specialty is pickpocketing. So he's gonna be your mentor from now on," She got her to feet. "Other than that, we'll just have to get you settled in. Is there anything else you want to add, Lucie?"

"Well…" Lucien looked at her feet and shifted in her position. "There is one more thing…"

"Tell me, sweetie. You want to call me mommy? You've got full rights,"

Lucie giggled at that. "Thank you but… I was actually hoping I could change my name,"

"Change your name?"

"Those bandits named me Lucie. I've hated it ever since. It just… reminds me of the bad moments…"

Carissa smiled. "Say no more. We'll give you another name. Do you have something in mind?"

She shook her head. "Not really…"

But Carissa had the perfect name. "Alayna,"

Brynjolf furrowed his eyebrows at that. Did his wife just seriously suggest her own real name to replace Lucie's?

Lucie giggled. "I like it!"

"Perfect! Alayna it is, then. What about birthday?"

Lucie shook her head.

"7th of First Seed then,"

"First Planting?"

"Why not? A time to set aside past differences, but most importantly, to begin anew. And that's what you're about to do,"

"It's perfect!"

"Great! Then you're all done. Sapphire!" She then called for her right-hand woman as she got to her feet. "This is Sapphire. She's my right-hand woman. She'll set you up with a bed and nightstand. Welcome to the Thieves Guild, Alayna."

She beamed, probably her first real smile in a very long time. "Thanks so much!"

* * *

**11:25pm **

"So. Alayna, eh?"

"It's a pretty name, Bryn, and somebody needs to have it. So why not Lucie have it if she's looking to remove herself from the past?" Carissa said, as she climbed onto their bed.

Brynjolf could not help but agree to that. "Fitting, I suppose. You comfortable?" He asked, as he wrapped his arms around her, her head on his chest.

"It's perfect," She sighed.

"I heard you talking to Sapphire earlier. About those bandits that kept Alayna?"

"Then you would know that I'm having Sapphire get a description of those bandits from Alayna, so that I can send in some of our people to eliminate them,"

"Anything to protect her, right?"

She nodded. "Anything for Alayna. We're taking care of her from now on,"

"I know: 'This handsome red-headed Nord you tried to pickpocket? He'll be your daddy'," He quoted her from the conversation with Lucie.

Carissa lifted her head from his chest so she could look at him. "You know what I mean, Bryn. She needs parents. Parents who can love her unconditionally. And I know you can give her the love she needs. Since I robbed you of the chance to love your own son…"

"Carissa, we don't have to go into that now-"

"Don't tell me otherwise, Bryn. You know I'm right," She laid her head down once again. "Here I was, saying that it's dangerous to raise a child, and we now have an 8 year old in the Cistern…"

"Carissa," He could hear the slight crack in her voice. "This is a completely different situation," He stroked her hair tenderly. "Only the Gods know what Alayna has been through. And if she's survived all this while, then she must be good at protecting herself. Keeping her from danger won't be a big deal,"

Carissa shut her eyes tightly, trying not to let the tears roll. "10 years in 4 months…"

"I know, love. I know," Brynjolf hushed her in his gentle tone. "But at least he's safe and sound."

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you guys like Lucie! We'll see her in her teens in a bit :) **

**More flashbacks in the next chapter! **


	38. I Wish

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Temple of Kynareth, Whiterun  
17****th**** of Rain's Hand, 4E 212  
9:52pm**

"'_Ysgramor raised his tankard to his lips and drank until the cup was empty. Then he spoke once more. "Remember this always, son of the north- a Nord is judged not by the manner in which he lived, but the manner in which he died." With that, he cast aside his flagon, raised his fist in the air and roared a great cheer. The other heroes rose to their feet and cheered in answer. The sound still rang in my ears when I awoke. I gathered my men and told them of my vision. The words seemed to fill their hearts with courage. The horns are blowing, and the banners are raised. The time has come to muster. May Talos grant us victory this day, and if I am found worthy, may I once again look upon the great feast hall'. _Well," Danica closed the book with a smile. "That's that,"

"Wow. That was a great ending!" The 10 year old she was reading to, said in delight. "Will I go to Sovngarde too, Danica? Even though I'm just half Nord?"

"Maybe, Gabriel. I'm not too sure though," Danica said in an apologetic tone. "Well, time for bed, little one. Sweet dreams." She patted his forehead and got up from her seat to exit his room.

"Danica?"

"Yes, Gabriel?" She spun around and stood at his doorway.

Gabriel sat up and clutched the fur covers tightly, his innocent eyes sparkling at the priestess of Kynareth. "You told me I was half Nord, half Breton, right?"

"Yes, I did,"

"Well…" Gabriel pouted slightly. "My parents… who was what race?"

Danica gaped a little. "Gabriel…"

"Did you know my parents, Danica?" He immediately questioned. "It's alright if you know them. I won't be mad. I just want to know what they were like and why did they let me go,"

"Did someone say something to you, Gabriel?" She asked, walking about into his room and sitting on his bed with him.

"Not really, Danica," He said. "It's just that… all my friends have a mother and father. But I don't. I mean, I have you and the other priests, but I know I _had _parents. I didn't bother asking before because well… I don't know them. I don't feel anything for them, but now I'm curious. I just want to know what happened to them,"

Danica bit her lower lip at that. She knew one day Gabriel would ask this question, but she didn't think that that day would come so soon. But why wouldn't it? It was going to be 10 years since Gabriel stayed at the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun. He was growing up and asking all the questions. Danica knew she had to be delicate. She had an oral agreement. "Well, child… yes. I knew your parents. Just briefly,"

The Breton-Nord widened his eyes and seemed far more interested now. "Really? You did? What was my father like? And my mother?" He leaned forward, picking up his slight pointy ears.

"Well…" Danica cleared her throat. "Your father is a Nord, very tall, red-headed. He had an interesting accent to him too. And you look just like him," She said, ran a hand past his cheek. "Your mother is a Breton. She's a follower of Mara, has black hair and a very bright set of blue eyes,"

"Is she very pretty?"

She giggled at that. "I would say so, yes,"

"And why did they let me go?" Danica had to know that that would be his next question. She was preparing herself for this one.

"Well, Gabriel…" She took one of his hands. "Your parents… they were… in a very dangerous line of work,"

"Like what?"

"It's… a little hard to explain, child," She said. "But it would involve doing bad things. You see, because of this, some people would not be happy with them and would try to… hurt them. Your parents thought that in the process, you would get hurt so they made the sacrifice of letting you go,"

"Oh…"

"But Gabriel, you must never _ever _forget one thing: your parented loved you," Danica said in a gentle tone. "They loved you too much that they couldn't let you get caught in the middle of their line of work and get hurt. They thought they could make it work, but it wasn't possible. So they brought you to me,"

Gabriel nodded at that. Danica could not tell whether or not he was fully comprehending everything she was telling him. The boy was only 10 and that was a bit of a fragile age. "Are they still alive?"

"I don't know little one," She said forlornly, shaking her head. "It's… been 10 years,"

"You mean they didn't come back to visit me?" He asked, almost mortified.

"Oh, Gabriel," She cupped his cheeks. "They were worried that if they had any connections with you, their… enemies may find out and come for you, that's why,"

"Oh…"

Danica tried to read his expression. "Are you alright, child? I'm sorry I can't tell you more,"

"No, no, Danica," Gabriel broke out a wide smile. "It's alright! I was just curious, that's all! I'm not really bothered by this. I barely know them. But I know you. And Hanreck and Angela and all the other priests here! You are all my family!" He reached forward and cupped Danica's cheeks. "Don't worry, Danica. I'll _never _leave this place or you!"

Danica laughed at him, completely taken by his sweetness. "Of course, child. I know that very well."

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
3****rd**** of Hearthfire  
8:37pm**

"Can't catch me, papa!"

"Now, you're just saying that because this old man can't run after you!"

"Come on, you're not THAT old! I'll let you get a head start!"

"Still might not help, but it's worth a shot! Come here you!"

Carissa grinned uncontrollably at the sight of Brynjolf and Alayna playing catch around the cistern. What was even more hilarious was watching her beloved husband trying to chase their 8 year old adopted daughter with that speed of his. Bryjolf was either losing his touch or his age was really catching up with him.

"Come on, papa! Put some effort into it! Pretend like you're running as if a guard was chasing you!"

"That's easy for you to say. You're _not _in your 50s!"

This little scene was definitely helping Carissa forget her troubles for tiny second. Today was the 3rd of Hearthfire. It was Nocturnal's Holy Day, but it was also her son's 10th birthday. She had been wondering several things about him the whole day: how he was doing, was he still living at the Temple of Kynareth, was he adopted by another family, _what was his name_. So many questions ran through her mind, and she did not want to speak about it to Brynjolf. She was afraid that she might upset him as well.

10 years have passed, and Carissa Laure still could not forgive herself.

* * *

**3:36am**

Brynjolf awoke to the muffled sobs next to him. He sat up in great confusion, only to find his wife sitting on her side of the bed, her back facing him, and her face buried in her hands. He heard those quiet sobs from her. Instinctively, he crawled over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Carissa? What's wrong, lass?"

"I-it's nothing, Bryn…" She said while wiping her tears away. "Go back to sleep. I'm fine,"

"No, you're not. Don't try to act here," Immediately, he took her into his large, comforting arms and stroked her head as she sobbed into chest. "Shh, it's alright, love. I know you miss him very much. I do too,"

"10 years, Bryn. 10 _long _years…" She said into his chest. "I'd give anything to know how he's doing. I'd give _anything _just to _know _his name…"

"There, there now," He patted her head gently. "Do you want to go see him? We can, you know,"

"Oh, Bryn, you know we can't…" She lifted her head up to look at him. "The Dracul family already tried to send the Dark Brotherhood to kill me during my pregnancy. If they come to know that our son's in the Temple of Kynareth… no," She shook her head. "We can't. No matter how much it hurts,"

"Carissa… it pains me to see you like this, lass," Brynjolf said forlornly.

Carissa gave him a small smile. "Don't worry about me, handsome," She patted his cheek lovingly. "I just can't help but feel this way every year on his birthday,"

"You're his mother, Carissa. It's alright to feel this way," He told her in a soothing voice and held her tighter in his arms, hoping to comfort her. Hoping to let her know that least he was here.

"I know, Bryn…" She laid her head against shoulder and shut her eyes, trying to let herself fall sleep in his arms. "Do you feel this way too, sweetie?" She then asked.

He had his own faked smile right then, and decided not to lie. "Everyday, lass. Everyday."

* * *

**10****th**** of Hearthfire, 4E 202  
(10 years prior)**

"Sweetie…" Carissa took on a mother's gentle tone as she prepared to speak to her sleeping, 7 day old son, whom she was cradling in her arms. "We would name you, but that'll be up to the Temple. The priests there are going to taking care of you from now on. Nothing would bring me greater joy than you raise you, you know. But we can't. It's too dangerous. We have people who want us dead, who want us to pay. And we can't let you get caught in the middle of our fights.

"When you're old enough, you can come see us, if you'd like. But it'll be up to you. We just want to let you know that we _love _you so much. Oh Gods, I wish you could know that when you're all grown up. I wish you could know how sorry we are. How sorry _I _am. I was the one who made this decision after all. It's to keep you safe. I wish you could understand that… Sweetie… I love you _so _much. Take good care of yourself. Stay handsome always.

With that, she placed one last kiss on his forehead. "Shadows guide you."

* * *

**A/N: Thumbs up for sad moments?  
**

**Dracul family? More drama to come! :O**

**As for the next chapter, I think some of you guys might be able to predict it. I can't wait to write it! x) **


	39. New Member?

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
24****th**** of Frostfall, 4E 219  
8:34pm **

"Let me get this straight because I'm having a difficult time understanding this: according to my senior lockpicking specialist, you entered the Ratways, single-handedly either knocked out or killed my guards who were on duty to keep the city guards and or assassins out, terrorized my bartender half to death, only to _join the Thieves Guild_?"

"Terrorized? How could _this face_ terrorize anyone? I'm a handsome Breton-Nord, not an ugly Dwarven centurion. Either that, or your bartender's got the courage of a chicken,"

"I can't tell what's bigger," Vex huffed in great annoyance, folding her arms across her chest. "Your ego or your mouth,"

"It's alright, Vex. I can handle this. You go on," The 53 year old Guildmaster said, dismissing Vex in a friendly manner.

As Vex walked off, Carissa Larue got up from her desk behind her desk and stood in front of the man who was requesting to join her Guild, after wreaking havoc upon her guards and almost the Ragged Flagon as well. Poor Vekel the Man. He had to endure 17 years of this, ever since Carissa took over as Guild master. It was either city guards, assassins or other enemies trying to enter the cistern, not without harming his precious bar in any way.

Carissa got a better look of the young man. Bright green eyed, with mid-back crimson hair that was tied into a high ponytail just like Carissa's. He was dressed in a simple black long-sleeved shirt, black trousers and black boots. He had a Glass Dagger attached to his hip. He also mentioned he was a Breton-Nord and she could see that: the slight point on the tip of his ears, the perfectly chiseled cheeks and strong jaw, and yes, his height. _Damn, _the height!

"Sweet MARA, YOU'RE TALL,"

The young Breton-Nord was almost looking down at her. He kept his little smirk as his arms were folded across his chest. "And… that's new to you? Come on, _everybody _here is a head taller than you,"

Carissa barely blinked. "Oh _no_, you did _not _just say that to my beautiful face,"

He kept his smirk at her, having no intention of taking back what he said.

But luckily for the young man, she then said, "But you're lucky that that's partially true," She crossed her own arms across her chest. "Welcome to the Thieves Guild headquarters, young and handsome. My name's Carissa Larue and I'm the Guildmaster here in Skyrim. You have a name?"

"Gabriel," He then bowed before her like a gentleman would. "It's an honor, milady,"

Carissa chuckled at that. Playful one, isn't he? "Just Gabriel?"

"I don't really have a last name. It's a long story,"

"I won't ask," She said. "So, Gabriel, you want to join the Thieves Guild. Why?"

"Because I love the Ratways," Gabriel said sarcastically, a little annoyed by that question. "Because I love to thieve! What do you think?"

"You don't look a day over 19,"

"I'm 17,"

"Hm," She raised her eyebrows. "Must be the Nordic features,"

"They're a blessing,"

She could not tell whether that was another sarcastic comment or not. By the Gods, it was like looking into a mirror! "17, and already thieving,"

"Actually," He produced a smile, one that signifies returning to a fond memory. "I started thieving after my 10th birthday,"

"7 years of experience. Ever been caught?"

"Nope,"

"How would I know you're not lying?"

"Guess you're just going to have to trust me,"

Carissa could not help but smile at this young man. "Fine. I'll put a little faith in you since you remind me so much myself. I like your attitude, Gabriel. You're confident, but I need to know if you can back it up. Before I can give you a place in my Guild, I'll need you to handle some basic jobs. What's your specialty?"

"Anything and everything," He said with much poise. "Oh except for 'socializing' with people. I don't do that. I tend to get… easily annoyed,"

"A temper? Now all you have to be is an assassin and you're the perfect representation of me!"

Gabriel bit his lower lip with a word, keeping a cheeky smile.

Carissa laughed in disbelief. "I don't believe it! Where have you been all this time?"

"You _don't _wanna know… So. About these jobs?"

"Right. Remember when you almost scared my bartender? There were two lovely people in black armor,"

"The old hagraven and the baldy?"

"How did you- nevermind…" 'Old hagraven' was Carissa's old nickname for Vex, back when they could not stand each other. "Um, they are Vex and Delvin Mallory, master Sneak trainer and master Lockpicking trainer. They also have jobs from time to time available. Vex has the break-in jobs and Delvin has the looting and numbers jobs. They'll surely have something for you to get your hands on,"

Gabriel rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "I can't wait! I'll make you proud, Carissa,"

"Be sure you do that, Gabriel," She reached up and patted his cheek. "Good luck! Now get outta here."

Nodding at her, he turned his heel and took off to the Ragged Flagon. On his way out, he brushed past a handsome red-headed Nord, his 15 year old daughter and their 22 year old pet wolf. A little puzzled, they hoped that their beloved Guildmaster could give them some answers.

"Hey, you three!" Carissa hugged Maya tightly when she ran up to her master first. It was amazing that Maya was still healthy and fit at her age. And Carissa was thankful for that; she would not know what to do if Maya were to ever leave her. "Back already?"

"Yep!" Alayna Larue then hugged her mother. "Nightingale Hall is _amazing_! Nocturnal should be proud that you, Papa and Karliah are her Nightingales!"

"She better be," Carissa muttered as she received a kiss on her cheek from her husband. "Thanks for taking her there, Bryn!"

"Not a problem, lass. It was a trip worth taking. I needed to get out of here for a while anyways," Brynjolf was in his late 50s already, but still as handsome as ever. He still had those unbelievable green eyes, but his shoulder-length red hair was now mid-back and laced with white as well. "So. Friend of yours?"

Carissa smiled. "Name's Gabriel. He's interested in joining the Guild,"

"Sent him to Vex and Delvin?"

"Yep,"

"And then where will you post him if he's successful? The Falkreath hideout?"

"I don't yet," She said. "The boy… is an interesting character. Might be fun to have around. Hey, maybe he can be a playmate for Alayna,"

"Mama!" She clicked her tongue playfully.

Carissa giggled. "But he seems promising. Reminds me of me in many ways. In fact… he's almost as charming as someone I know…" She tapped her chin in thought, but was eyeing her husband.

Brynjolf simply flashed a sweet half-smile at her.

"Must be a Nord thing," She then said.

"Nord?"' Alayna said.

"Breton-Nord, to be exact. But anyway, that's not important. If he's good as he says he is, he belongs here. But I need to know whether he's good _enough_,"

Alayna could easily read her mother just as well as her father. "Want me to shadow him?" She smirked.

"Take Vipir and Niruin with you. I don't want a repeat of the last incident," Carissa said warningly. "The Draculs are _really _getting close now,"

"It's been 17 years. You'd think they'd give up by now. Face it, Mama, they _can't _destroy us!"

"Listen to your mother, Layna," Brynjolf said in his fatherly tone. "It doesn't mean they can't _try_,"

"Fine!"

"That's my girl," Carissa kissed her on her forehead. "Go on, sweetie. Get ready. Shadows guide you,"

Alayna nodded and gave her an assuring nod.

"Gabriel, wasn't it? The lad might not appreciate you shadowing him,"

"It's for the same reason _you _shadowed _me _when I first joined!" She jabbed a finger into his chest playfully. "I want the best for this Guild, Bryn. And if that handsome red-headed Bretord-"

"_Bretord_?"

"-Has what it takes, then he belongs here. Let's just see how good he really is…"

* * *

**A/N: *gasp* What's Gabriel doing in the Thieves Guild? :O**

**Special Daedric thanks to Goudah for the name 'Bretord'! xD **

**Thumbs up for mother, father and adopted daughter? :)**

**Thumbs up for Maya being 22 years old and still being a badass? :) **

**Onto Chapter 40! CHAPTER. 40. HOLY. SHEOGORATH.  
I LOVE YOU GUYS x) **


	40. Mama Carissa

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: The Ragged Flagon, The Ratways, Riften  
24****th**** of Frostfall  
9:01pm**

_**Steal 500 Gold in goods from Windhelm  
Retrieve the Jeweled Pitcher from Brunwulf Free-Winter's House in Windhelm  
Make changes in the ledger at Sadri's Used Wares in Windhelm  
Plant the Emerald in the House of Clan Shatter-Shield in Windhelm**_

"Windhelm jobs."

"That's right. Hope you like the cold."

"Thank Kynareth for my Nord blood. I should be done by tomorrow."

"Better hurry up. We don't have exactly an eternity to wait for you."

_Ugh, you old white-haired hagraven… _"I have a feeling Carissa will be willing to wait for me. I think she likes me!"

"Yeah, well, she likes everyone she doesn't stab in the face…"

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild  
26****th**** of Frostfall  
7:31pm**

"It's been two days… I hope we didn't scare him off. He didn't spot you, did he?"

"Hard to say, Mama," Alayna said. "He was as quick as a sabre cat. I don't think he knew, but you should have seen how fast and assertively he moved."

Before the night completely fell, Alayna, Vipir the Fleet and Niruin returned from spying on the new possible recruit, Gabriel, in Windhelm. Alayna was currently giving her account to her mother, the Guildmaster Carissa while waiting for him to return.

"Well, do you think he's good enough?"

"Well," Alayna crossed her arms across her chest. "One thing a thief's got to have is quickness. He's got that. Perfectly, I might add. When moving, he's as silent as a little rat, not a single peep. He blended in with the shadows as soon as guard would come by. But when he felt that the presence was too strong…" She felt that sentence open as she bit her lower lip.

"He… 'somewhat' mentioned he was part assassin. I guess we don't have to teach him that. And he was also very sure of himself when he first joined. I was going to call it arrogance, but judging by what you told me…" Carissa then smiled to herself. "Let's give him a chance, Layna. I mean so far, for these 17 years, we've never had anyone try to destroy the Guild from the inside."

"That's because people knew about what you did to Mercer Frey 17 years ago, mama," She said. "They'd want to think twice. And besides, it's pretty easy to tell when someone is trying to play us for fools. I mean, we've got a Guild full of the smartest people around. Somebody must think something."

"Yeah, you're right," Carissa turned to her adopted daughter. "You're right. He's not playing us for fools. Send him my way when he returns, alright?"

"Talking about me, milady?"

Carissa smiled to herself before turning around to greet her possible newest recruit. Dismissing Alayna, she walked up to him. "As a matter of fact, I was, Gabriel."

Gabriel flashed her a charming smile. "I've done the jobs Vex and Delvin Mallory sent me on in Windhelm."

"And how were they?"

"Easy as apple pie."

"Did you run into any trouble?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," He said confidently once again. "Did your three members give you positive feedback though?"

Part of Carissa knew she was expecting that. Looks like Gabriel was a hard man to fool. "You're really smart. How did you know?"

"I have an amazing sixth sense," He said with a cheeky smile. "No actually, it's simple logic. Surely you'd want to make sure that I'm good enough to join your Guild and that I'm not someone who was trying to infiltrate and destroy it from the inside? I'm just going to put it this way, boss lady," He took a step toward her, overpowering her in height, but also wanting to make his next point clear. "I love to thieve. I like the excitement, the adrenaline rush you get out of picking a lock or pickpocketing someone in broad daylight. My life was pretty boring prior to that. You're running a great guild here. I'd be honored to join a place like this. I won't betray you, swear upon Kynareth." He held up two hands. "Look, to be honest… I don't exactly have a life outside of this. I'd much rather be somewhere where my talents are appreciated, and they also get me paid."

Just by those sentences, Carissa allowed a wide grin to form on her face. "And you will. Starting today," She held out her hand to him. "Welcome to the Thieves Guild, Gabriel. You're now a member."

Gabriel raised both eyebrows at her, overjoyed on the inside. He took her hand and gave it a firm shake.

"I'll set you up with a bed and nightstand. Ditch the attire. I'm going to get you your uniform," She said. "But first, some rules and regulations."

"I'm all ears." He told her, ready to hear her out.

"Number one: we run a smooth business. When given a job, a member of the Thieves Guild carries it out to the letter. You will leave no traces of yourself behind. We're not the Dark Brotherhood here, so don't go around killing anyone related to the jobs, _unless _I or the client says so. Do anything not asked and you lose your share. No arguments. Next, never ever EVER steal from a fellow family member; that includes the treasury. Doing so will result in severe consequences. Lastly," She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Always take good care of yourself. And of your guild members. We're one big happy family here, and we'd like to keep it that way. Never fight with them, but rather fighter _for _them. Got it, handsome?"

Gabriel nodded with understanding. "Perfectly, Carissa. I'll make you proud. I think I'll like it here!"

"Oh, you will!" She said gleefully. "Now, I already told the while guild about you, so most of them are dying to meet you. Go make some friends and I'll go get you your armor. If you need anything, you can come to me, or Brynjolf, our second-in-command. You can't miss him: he's the handsome red-headed Nord."

* * *

**9:49pm **

"Hey! We haven't talked yet!"

"Hey… you were spying on me in Windhelm! Damn… you look a lot prettier without all those shadows concealing you."

Alayna was definitely taken by surprise by that comment. But it was in a good way. "Oh, um… thanks? Anyway, I'm Alayna Larue. Nice to meet you, Gabriel." She held out her hand in handshake.

Gabriel, as the gentleman he was, instead took her hand with a smirk. "I am blown away, Miss Larue. Pleased to meet you. I am your humble servant." With that, he kissed the top of her hand.

Alayna could not help but giggle. "Mama did say you were a playful one."

"Mama?"

"I'm Carissa and Brynjolf's kid."

"Oh," However, it put Gabriel in an even more puzzled mode. "That explains her wedding band," He scratched the back of his head. "But you have blonde hair…"

"They adopted me, silly." She laughed at him.

"Oh," Right then, his questions were answered. "So. If you were adopted, how did you come to join the Guild?"

"I joined when I was 8. I used to be a slave to some bandits. I escaped during the night and ended up in Riften, where I tried to pickpocket the second-in-command unsuccessfully, and was given a position here, as well as a family." She gave her backstory in the shortest way possible, but also said in a manner that showed she had no problems explaining her past.

This confused Gabriel a little. "Salve? Kynareth's grace, that's harsh…"

"Doesn't mean a thing to me anymore." She said with a grin after seeing that look of compassion on his Nordic features. "Brynjolf and Carissa took care of me like I was their own daughter. Being here, under their care… it completely erased the fact that I used to be in shackles and cages at one point in my life."

Gabriel produced a small smile at that. "Sounds like being here changed you."

"It did. Especially when Carissa was the one who decided to adopt me." She then locked eyes with Gabriel. "You made the right call joining the Guild, Gabriel. No one will show you this much care unlike Carissa. There is none like her. Sometimes, she can be more than just a Guildmaster."

"I'm… not really looking for a mother, you know…"

"I'm just saying, silly!" She giggled. "I mean, I don't know about your past, but most people who join the Guild don't exactly have the nicest of pasts. If you ever need anything, you can run to Carissa. She'll handle it. No one picks on her family members and gets away with it."

Gabriel smirked. "Sounds like Mama Carissa takes care of everything."

Alayna giggled at that name. "Yes she does," She nodded her head at him, gratitude sparkling in her pale blue eyes. "Mama Carissa always does."

* * *

**A/N: Thumbs up for Mama Carissa? LOL I got the idea for that because I'm in the English Drama club in my school, and I got all my junior members to call me 'Mama Ashleigh'! xD **

**Gab speaks to Bryn in the next chapter! :D  
**

**And you guys, I'm proud to announce that there is an official theme song to this fan-fiction! Title of it is "Stole My Heart" and you can find it here on my singing channel: watch?v=ts58Gbob1Uk**

**This was taken from an interview I did on 31st March for Soft-com-sg (I can't put the dots!) and their singer-songwriter series. ****Soft is a website dedicated to the music industry of Singapore. ****You can find the full interview in the info box. I perform 4 of my original songs and also end up speaking about how most violent video games always have the best to deliver :) **


	41. Making Things Mysteriously Disappear

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
26****th**** of Frostfall  
11:24pm **

"So you're the new lad eh?"

Gabriel quickly clutched his right hand into a fist and pocketed his item the moment he heard that interestingly-accented voice and looked up. He was looking at a slightly greying, red-headed Nord. He got to his feet from his bed in respect for the older Guild member. "That's me: Gabriel. You must be Brynjolf, the second-in-command." He held out his hand to the Nord.

Brynjolf took his hand and gave it a solid shake, but both of their grips were equally firm. "You got it right, lad. I'm also a loving husband and devoted father."

Gabriel chuckled. "Alayna told me. So," He slipped his hands into his pockets. "You're still in the game, eh?"

"I never left, lad, but please, don't make me sound any more older than I already am." Brynjolf playfully begged. "So, Gabriel, what can you tell me about yourself?"

"Oh," He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing much: I'm 17, been doing this since I was 10. I don't have any real family; I was given up as a baby. At least, that's what the priest told me."

"Priest? Not the Honorhall Orphanage, eh?"

"Maybe my parents got lazy. I dunno." Gabriel said with his arms crossed his chest, rolling his eyes. "After 10 years with the temple, I grew up with a Dark Elf weapons trainer who adopted me and made me his assistant in Falkreath. Right now, he thinks I'm off to High Rock trying to 'find my roots'." With that, he brought back his cheeky smile.

"But instead, you made your way here. After knocking down my wife's guards." Brynjolf had his own cheeky smile.

"Yeah…" Gabriel scratched the back of his head embarrassingly. "Sorry about that. She hasn't made me pay for that yet, though."

"And she won't. You're lucky she likes you."

"Is she always like that?"

"She likes anybody she doesn't stab in the face," Brynjolf said, coincidently repeating what Vex had said to Gabriel. "Actually, when someone comes off like you do and backs himself up, she'll be impressed."

"Me?" Gabriel put his hands on his chest, gasping slightly. "How do I come off as? I'm just a modest little Breton-Nord!"

Brynjolf chuckled at that. "And she likes playful people too. But don't take her kindness for granted. She puts a lot of faith in her thieves, so don't disappoint her. You know the story of the previous Guildmaster, don't you?"

"Previous? No, I don't." He shook his head.

"Well, lad…" Brynjolf slapped an arm around Gabriel's shoulder. "Best we talk over a bottle of mead. It's not a pretty story."

* * *

**27****th**** of Frostfall  
10:07am **

"Morning, boss."

"Good morning to you, Gabriel," Carissa greeted as she took a seat opposite Gabriel at the bench. "Sleep well?"

"I did. Thank you very much." Gabriel smiled, as he poked his fork into his piece of Apple Pie. "And thanks for the attire. Looks good on me."

"Hey, you're a member of this Guild. You'll need to show it off," She smiled. "We're happy to have you here, Gabriel. Almost everybody likes you and your playful ways."

"Almost? Let me guess:" He pointed the fork at her, after taking a bite. "I still haven't won Vex's heart, right?"

Carissa let go of a hearty laugh at that. "Nope! You haven't! But don't take it to heart, handsome. She doesn't really like anybody."

"At least she doesn't stab the people she doesn't like in the face…"

"So I have a bit of a temper. So help me. Don't you understand?"

Gabriel nodded with a sweet smile. "I do, Carissa."

And the Guildmaster smiled back. "Once you're done with breakfast, Gabriel, go see Delvin. He has a job in Solitude and I want you to take it."

"Sure. Anything special?"

Carissa kept a small smile that made Gabriel a little suspicious. "Nope. I just want you to take this one. Radient Raiment: the clothing store in Solitude. Someone has a little… problem with the two lovely ladies running the store…and I want some of their stock to… 'mysteriously disappear'."

Gabriel nodded understandingly. "I like making things 'mysteriously disappear'. You got it Carissa. I'll go see him right away."

"Atta boy, Gabriel. Good luck."

* * *

**Location: Solitude  
7:12pm**

By the time Gabriel had arrived at Solitude on that same day, the night had already fallen upon Skyrim. Solitude was a city that Gabriel had rarely visited, so he decided to let another day pass before he could complete his objective: clear the store of their best stock. Gabriel needed to know what time the two High Elf women would close shop, the interior of the store and of course, the guards patrol schedule.

So the next day, Gabriel entered the store as soon as it opened, being their first customer. And Taarie and her sister Endarie were known for welcoming their customers in disdain. Gabriel tried his best not to take it to heart, while he asked for their best pieces of clothing, ones that he would run with the following day, after learning of the guards' patrol schedule.

When the 28th finally came, it was time to go to work. As soon as Gabriel exited the Winking Skeever, he glanced around: as observed the night before, two guards were stationed at the city's main gates, and one more was walking back and forth outside of the Radient Raiment.

Gabriel needed to time this perfectly. As soon as the guard outside of the clothing store turned his back on the city's main gates, Gabriel tossed two poisoned iron daggers at the two guards, catching them in their thighs. They both grunted in pain, but before the other guard could turn around and investigate, Gabriel kept a strong hold around his neck, one that the guard tried to claw his way out off. But it was useless; he was out of oxygen and was sleeping soundly.

The poison was quick and effective: knocking them out as soon as it hit them. With that, Gabriel dragged all three of the guards to the chopping block, where they were out of sight. Now, he had to break into the clothing store make do with their best items before any other guards would come by and discover the unconscious bodies.

The lock was but as easy as pie to pick, and Gabriel was in. Most of their items were behind the counter. Fishing out a folded sack, he dumped enchanted and non-enchanted amulets, circlets, necklaces, and rings of all designs inside. Then, he grabbed several pelts and costly robes. Once the sack was full and the counter three-quarters empty, he was satisfied and left the store, as well as the city.

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
29****th**** of Frostfall  
7:23pm **

"You know, I don't know how those Elf sisters make a living. First off, even though I don't believe in hitting women, I was ready to send them through a wall for insulting me and calling me a 'half-breed'. And secondly, the clothes I swiped were not exactly that attractive at all! How can ANYBODY wear ANYTHING so hideous?" Sighed, Gabriel handed his Guildmaster two purses full of gold. "Anyway, I went to one of the Guild's fences like Delvin suggested. 500 gold each."

Carissa accepted them with a smile. "You did good, Gabriel. Wonderful in fact. I had to see for myself anyways." She put the two purses on her desk behind her.

Just as he was about to question her, it came to him. "You were…? But, but-" He tried to form a sentence. "But I didn't see you at all!"

She smirked. "I didn't become Guildmaster by chance, you know. And besides, I had about 25 years of experience before deciding to join. I hope you're not mad, Gabriel, but it's tradition. To me, at least."

Gabriel brought back a smile. "No, don't worry about it. You just wanted to make sure. I don't blame you for it. At least it tells me that you can trust me for any big jobs in the future."

"You got that right. Oh," She grabbed one of the two coin purses and handed it to him. "Don't forget your payment."

Gabriel widened his sparkling green eyes. "But-but Delvin just paid me-"

"Gabriel, it's been a while since I've seen a talented thief like one such as yourself. I just… want to express my gratitude," She said. "You made the right choice coming here. You're careful, but dangerous. I saw what you did with the guards. I've also never seen quickness like that before. You're pretty much the younger version of me."

"Younger male version, actually." He corrected playfully.

"Have it your way," She chuckled. "You're going to last a very long time here, sweetie. Just keep up the good work," She patted his cheek. "Why don't you go have some fun with the gold you have now? You deserve it. Take some of the boys with you for a night out or something. Just go enjoy yourself."

Brynjolf was indeed right about Carissa's kindness and loyalty to those she trusted. It was warming Gabriel's little black heart. After the story he was told about Mercer Frey's treachery, Gabriel was glad to be under Carissa's leadership. No, he was blessed. "Thanks, Carissa. You're the best!" So saying, he turned to leave.

Carissa stood there, arms across her chest, watching as Gabriel was greeted by some of the men of the guild. She allowed a half a smile to form on her full lips at the sight. For that moment, all Carissa could think about was how proud she was of her new recruit, and about how if she had kept her son, it was only fitting if it was Gabriel.

* * *

**A/N: Man, you have no idea, Carissa! **

**I hope you liked Gabriel's job! I do that whenever I get to visit Solitude: steal the items in Raidant Raiment XD I seriously HATE those two! **


	42. Making Music

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
5****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
8:52pm **

It had been more than week since Gabriel joined the Thieves Guild, and he was having the time of his life. He would have a new small job every day and each time, he would carry it out with perfection and flawlessness. Everyone in the Guild was proud. Brynjolf was proud. But most importantly, Carissa was proud: she was proud of the progress this young Breton-Nord was making during these few days. Young talent was hard to come by. He was going to last in this business a very long time.

"Gabriel!"

"… You yelled, Carissa?"

"I did! Get your handsome Bretord face over here!"

Gabriel practically skipped over to his Guildmaster's desk, ready to listen to what she had to say to him. "I'm all ears, boss."

"How would you like to take on a big job for your little Guildmaster?" Carissa questioned, as she kept her gaze on the large information book in front of her.

"How big is it?"

She glanced up at him. "Someone who's been up this Guild's ass for about 17 years."

"17?" He raised an eyebrow. "But isn't that around the time you took over as Guildmaster?"

"It is," She leaned against her chair. "And because I've been doing an amazing job rebuilding the Guild's reputation, a certain family is sick and tired of having the Guild mess up their every operation."

"I feel a story coming on, boss."

She smiled at him. "The Dracul family," She flipped two pages in her information book. "A rather influential Redguard family from Hammerfall. They own many operations: a winery, a weapons management, a clothing line, and everything else that makes them money. They arrived in Skyrim 17 years ago, shortly before I became Guildmaster. And immediately, their power went into effect. They've managed to close down every minor competition in their way. And when someone complains, they catch wind of it and send either their own men, oto worse, the Dark Brotherhood their way."

"Dark Brotherhood? Isn't that too much?"

"Well, I think it is. You heard of the Black-Briars, right?"

"Not so much as before."

"Well, you can thank the Draculs for that."

"So how does the Guild fit in all this?" Gabriel asked.

"Well," She sighed. "As the Draculs' influence rose, so did tension. Many people, including our beloved Black-Briars wanted them _gone_. The Guild was sent in a couple of times before to rob their best stock, rough them up or just cause a big mess. But each time, they would strike back. Either sending in their little personal dogs, or the Dark Brotherhood. And the target… was always me."

He arched both eyebrows in shock. "You? Oh _no _way. _No way_, Carissa. As long as I'm around, nothing's coming for you."

She giggled at that. "Too bad you weren't here to protect me earlier. They tried to have me kill when I was at my weakest, Gabriel. I never got to strike back. They were as slick as sabre cats. And the only sabre cat allowed around here is supposed to be ME."

Gabriel chuckled softly at that.

"Here," She handed him a folded small map of Skyrim. "I just found out one of their little hideouts. This one is a storage for their best wine," As Gabriel unfolded the map, she pointed to a circle just near where Dragon Bridge was. "Our long-time client, Sonnera Rivera from Solitude, recently had her warehouse broken into and every single one of her famous Rivera wine bottles broken. She wants to return the favor." She then smirked at him. "You see where I'm going with this?"

He returned the smirk. "Absolutely, boss."

"Good! Now, this job was originally for Alayna, but I wanted you to go with her."

"Oh? Alayna's a big girl, isn't she? She doesn't need me." He said.

"Yes, but…" She had a cheeky smile on. "Since _I_ raised her, she's developed a rather… reckless behavior. I'm sending you with her, because I don't want her to get hurt again."

"Again?"

"You can question her if you want to, but I doubt she'll tell you anything," Carissa said. "Anyway, you kids have fun!" So saying, she slapped him on the back, her way of saying 'good luck'.

* * *

**Location: On the way to Dragon Bridge!  
6****th**** of Sun's Dawn  
2:13pm**

"I had no idea the Guild had its own carriage!"

"Yeah, sometimes we get lazy to travel long distances. So we employed good ol' Melrik here!"

Melrik, an elder Orc who was in service to the Guild for a good 15 years, smiled as he took the two young Guild members to Dragon's Bridge. "And it's thanks to the Guild and their generous payment that my family gets to eat. These people aren't so bad once you get to know them. Of course, if you minus the thieving part of it."

Gabriel chuckled at this. The Guild was really growing ever since Carissa became Guildmaster. It was almost all those stories he heard about the Guild being down on their luck for a good 25 years never existed. "Carissa is a miracle worker, isn't she?" He looked at Alayna.

"Pfft, I don't how she does half the things she does. However it is, she gets it done," Alayna Larue said with her own smirk. "I'm almost grateful for trying to pickpocket Papa all those years ago!"

Gabriel and Alayna shared a hearty laugh, before he would ask Alayna a new question. "Hey, Layna… Brynjolf told me… about Mercer Frey? Was it true that he did what he did? And that he almost killed Carissa as well?"

Alayna nodded with a faked smile. "He picked the wrong Breton to mess with. That's why we never really had anybody join in just to destroy the Guild from the inside before. People were _scared_. Frightened that Carissa might come and get them. We have smart people in the Guild, you know. Somebody would know something."

Gabriel nodded with understanding, and decided to wait a while before asking one more question. "The Dracul family… Carissa told me that she was always the target."

"But of course. You take out the head, you leave the rest of it helpless."

"Alright, but… what did she mean by 'they tried to kill me when I was at my weakest'?"

Alayna was briefly taken aback, before she released a faked laugh. "You know… Mama wouldn't like some of her personal issues coming into light…"

"My lips are sealed, Alayna," Gabriel put two fingers on his lips. "You can trust me."

Alayna sighed heavily at that young face. "I can't give you all the details, but I guess you can get the gist of it: About 5 months after she became the Guildmaster, she…" She bit her lower lip. "She was with child."

"Are you _serious_? I would _never _have taken her to be the mother-type!"

"Neither did she. But she and Papa were ready to be parents to this child. But… when she was 7 months pregnant, she and Rune were out in Whiterun. On their way back, they were attacked by Dark Brotherhood assassins." She then caught his shocked expression. "Rune almost died, Gabriel. She was so frightened that she had decided to give up the kid."

"Say _what_? Alayna, how could she-"

"Don't let this change your opinion of her, Gabriel," She cut in politely. "Some people do what they think is the best."

"But-but-"

"Come on, Gabriel. Drop it. We have work to do," She said, turning her head to the road. "We'll stay in Dragon Bridge until the night falls. Once it's black as midnight, we'll go to work."

But at that moment, Gabriel's mind was changing his view of Carissa… and spinning several new questions.

* * *

**Location: Secret Dracul Winery Storage near Dragon Bridge  
11:05pm **

Maya, Carissa's loyal companion of 22 years had come along for this little adventure. She was going to be their lookout while Alayna and Gabriel would make some serious noise breaking all of those wine bottles.

But first, there was the matter of the multiple guards.

"Alright," Alayna said a whisper. "We'll use our iron daggers to take out the exterior guards. I predict at least 5 to 6 more guards inside the storage," She smiled at him. "Time to show off your assassination skills."

"Take a few notes, little Layna."

Alayna was surprised that Gabriel was using hidden daggers before he joined the Guild. He either knew that this was the Guild's signature trademark, or he was just lucky. Either way, flying daggers meant quiet deaths, and all of the guards outside of the storage cabin were dead in an instant.

"Time to have fun!"

When the storage cabin's door busted open, the 6 guards were taken by surprise. Heck, two of them tumbled out of their seats, still half asleep. Maya made the first kill and Gabriel and Alayna followed suit. Just like when Alayna had witnessed Gabriel taking those jobs in Windhelm, she was watching that same slickness. He barely obtained a scratch as he took out three of the guards with his Glass Dagger. He was right: Alayna should have taken notes.

"By the _Nine_, Gabriel!" Alayna laughed as she sheathed her Elven dagger. "You're amazing!"

"Please, little Layna," Gabriel put on his cheeky grin. "There are other words you can use to describe me. Stunning, for instance. Wonderful… But I prefer stunning."

"Shut up," She said playfully. "We need to start making music with these bottles."

"I love music," He said, and he picked up two wine bottles. "Here's a little tune I call, 'Threw It on the Ground'."

Pretty soon, Alayna and Gabriel were making music that would make most Bards jealous. And how knew there were so many ways to break wine bottles? If they didn't know better, they were having the time of their lives.

"Are we done?"

"Pretty much," Alayna tried to catch her breath. "Who knew breaking bottles took a lot of effort?"

"Let's get out of here."

However, Maya's nose stuck to the carpeted floorboard of the storage cabin and she began to pick up a scent – even with all the wine on the floor. She travelled to the end of the cabin and stopped. She then scratched on the carpet, and the two young Guild members saw that the carpet had been cut into, and that it could be lifted up.

Exchanging a puzzled glance with Alayna, Gabriel pulled the carpet off as much as it could go and discovered a secret door, one that usually meant there was a basement.

Nodding at Alayna, she readied her Elven dagger. In one effortless pull, Gabriel opened the door…

… And was faced with a pair of bronze-colored eyes.

"What in the Nine…?"

The light brown-eyed, auburn-headed Redguard shivered with fright as she tried to form a single word. "Please…"

* * *

**A/N: OOOH, A NEW CHARACTER! :D  
**

**"Threw It on the Ground"... Lonely Island, anyone? **

**Hope you like! :D **


	43. Arisha

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
7****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
8:13am**

"Aw, I _knew _I sent in the right people for the job! Any minute now, the news is going to hit my desk and when it does-" Carissa was cut off when she discovered a third party walking in with Alayna and Gabriel. If Gabriel's arm was not around her waist, she might have just slipped away and shiver in a corner. "Oh. Friend of yours, Gabriel?"

She took a good look at the Redguard. She was safely around the protective arm of Gabriel. She had rather messy, auburn hair - a fiery red actually, even the Sun would be so jealous. She had glistening tears in her hazel eyes; at any moment, she could bawl if she wanted to. She was wearing a red belted tunic, but even that was in a terrible condition – cuts and tears almost everywhere.

"Um, Carissa…" Gabriel finally spoke. "This is… Her name's Arisha Dracul."

"Dra-" Carissa pulled a 'are you serious' look at her new recruit. "And why does Arisha here look like she just got out of a fight with a sabre cat that isn't me?"

"Because we found her locked away in the basement of the storage cabin you sent us to." Alayna answered, unable to look at her mother in the eye as she bit her lower lip.

And now Carissa had the 'oh get the heck outta here' look. "Mara, help me… Um, alright… Arisha, sweetie," She took a step towards the young Redguard. "You've met Alayna. She'll take you to get fixed up. Alayna, get Karliah and Sapphire to help you."

"Sure, Mama. Come on, Arisha. You'll be safe here." Alayna smiled at the Redguard, taking her to one of the benches.

That left Carissa alone with Gabriel and she could only say this: "Tell me everything."

"We went to the Dracul's storage cabin like you wanted us to. We did the deed, but Maya found her, in a hidden basement. After we managed to show her we meant no harm, she calmed down and told us that she was Arisha Dracul, Aeron Dracul's youngest daughter."

"That's impossible!" She spat. "The Dracul family consists of Aeron, Mathilda and their two spawn of Malacath children, Rurik and Charna!"

Gabriel raised both his hands at her, unsure of what exactly to tell his Guildmaster. "Boss, _what _do you want me to tell you?"

"I've _met _with the family," She told him, looking at him obstinately. "And I did _not _see her at all." This new piece of information was a little overwhelming to the Breton. She knitted her eyebrows together in concentration as she thought of what to do.

"Boss…" Gabriel took on a calm tone, hoping that he could get through to his upset Guildmaster. "That girl… is scarred. Whatever she's been through, I can bet that her family did this to her."

"Yes, but why?" She questioned.

"I don't know. I'll-I'll get it out of her. In due time."

She sighed at him, shaking her head ever-so lightly. "Alright, Gabriel. From now on," She slapped his shoulder. "Arisha is _your _responsibility."

"Oh? Does it mean… we can keep her?" He asked with the most innocent look on his face – even more innocent than a baby's.

"What is she, a pet wolf like Maya?" She managed to laugh at him. "I'll decide on whatever you tell me. Fair?"

He pouted. "I gues-"

"Good," She slapped his shoulder again. "Now rest up. I have a feeling that the Draculs are _not_ going to be happy about what we did."

* * *

**6:55pm**

"So… how's the new belted tunic?"

Arisha Dracul was greeted by a concerned face, yet a nervous and uncertain voice spoke those words. She smiled sweetly at Gabriel. "It's nice to get out of that old attire. It's really lovely." She looked at the brown belted tunic.

_Yeah, really brings out your eyes. _Gabriel took a seat next to Arisha on the bench. "How are you feeling now?"

As she massaged her wrists, she nodded repeatedly. "Better, I guess. But, if it wasn't for you and Alayna, I probably would have died in there after a while. Thank you _so much _for that. Really. I wish I could repay you somehow."

Gabriel tried his hardest to listen to what she was saying rather than her voice alone. Arisha, just like her, had a tone as sweet as honey, delivering it in a serene and mellow manner. "Nah, it's alright, Arisha," He smiled at her. "You don't have to."

"Oh, come on," She turned to him, smiling. "You saved my life. Got me out of there and away from my family. I owe you, Gabriel."

Instantly, an idea struck him like lightning. "Well…" He once again, put on his cheeky smile and turned to her, one leg over the other, his arm on the table behind Arisha. "There is… _one _thing."

"What is it?"

"You could… join the Thieves Guild."

She gaped at that. "Me? A Thief?" That elicited giggles from her. "I don't know, Gabriel… I'm-I don't even have the aptitude of a thief!"

"You'll learn! We've got great people around here who can teach you everything from lockpicking to pickpocketing." He said.

She was almost speechless at that point. "I-I'll admit that I was desperate to get out of my family's business, but to join the Guild and become a thief? To… become their enemy? They'll throw a fit!"

He arched an eyebrow at her. "And… that's a bad thing?"

Arisha then comprehended what she had just said. She tilted her head to the side in thought. "You know, now that I think about it…"

Gabriel smiled as he patted her shoulder. "We'll be happy to take you in anyways. Almost everybody here has a sob story. You're not going to be alone and we sure won't treat you as an enemy."

Arisha looked at Gabriel with those big, hazel eyes.

And it took everything to tear himself away from her gaze. "Come on. It's almost dinnertime. Let's go eat." He held his hand out to her, testing his luck.

And he was internally thanking Kynareth with all his heart when Arisha took his hand with a sweet smile on her lips.

* * *

**A/N: Well, from this, you can tell that Arisha is gonna play a role in Gabriel's life! x) **

**The next chapter, Bryn returns! LOL, I know he's been missing for a few chapters! And we also meet the Dracul family! :) **


	44. Kissed By The Sun

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
12****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
9:47am **

Five days had flown by in an instant. Arisha Dracul, after being rescued by Gabriel and Alayna Larue, was living in the Thieves Guild headquarters. And she was the happiest she had ever been in her life. For a few weeks, she was being kept in basements, sometimes chained by her family. She never thought that she would see the outside of four walls anymore.

And right now, she was spending her 16th birthday with Gabriel. The duo laughed and giggled as Gabriel was giving her a piggyback ride around the cistern.

Arisha had pledged her allegiance to the Guild the day after she had arrived. She did not want to have anything to do with her family anymore; not with the way they've treated her. She felt safe being with the Thieves Guild, being around these wild, but loving bunch of people.

And she especially loved being around Gabriel.

Carissa Larue smiled as she witnessed Gabriel and Arisha giggling away like small children. She shook her head and returned to work on her ledger book at her desk.

Just then, her beloved husband, Brynjolf, entered the cistern and made his way to her, a small folded letter in hand. He too, smiled at Gabriel and Arisha's silliness as he walked up to Carissa's desk.

"Ah, young love." Brynjolf commented jokingly.

"I know, right?" Carissa smirked as she got up to stand by his side. "I had a feeling Gabriel was falling for her. She's a sweet girl anyways. And OI," She slapped his chest. "How come you never gave _me _a ride around the cistern before?"

Brynjolf looked at her. "I didn't even know you liked to be carried around the cistern like that. And besides, what if I hurt my back?"

She gasped in horror. "ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT NOW?" And she slapped his chest again.

Brynjolf chuckled at her exaggeration and leaned down to capture her lips, knowing full well it would leave her silent. He pulled back and whispered, "I'm not looking to get clawed by you, sabre cat."

She blinked repeatedly and cleared her throat, hoping to be authoritative once again. "Right! Smart man!" She patted his chest as she blushed, and looked at Gabriel and Arisha once again. "Hard to believe that a girl like that has been through what she's been through… I mean, just because she doesn't want to be involved in her family affairs, and she defies them, she gets locked away? What kind of parents does that to their child?"

"Well, at least she's here now, Carissa," He wrapped one arm around her. "She's in a place where she'll be appreciated and loved. And judging by the look on Gabriel's face, he's covering the loved part pretty well."

"He _is _smitten by her. Wonder if she feels the same…" Sighing, she turned to him. "So what do you have for me?"

"Well, sabre cat, bad news:" He lifted the folded envelope in his large hand. "A courier gave this to me while Alayna and I were out," He gave the letter to his wife, who opened it up. "The Draculs want to meet."

She almost snorted. "Again? My guess is it's something to do with the hit and Arisha going missing. 15th of Sun's Dusk, near the Valtheim Towers in Whiterun. Well," She folded the letter and tossed it onto her desk. "Looks like we have a date with the Draculs."

"I know what you're thinking, Carissa, and don't even think of it. You don't even know if they will be bringing their own men."

"Let them!" She said. "We've got a Guild full of people who are fit and ready to fight. We need to end this, Bryn."

"Carissa," He said sternly, but in a concerned manner. "The last few meetings we had over the years were bad enough. We were unsuccessful every time!"

"Only because those little chickens _always _secretly brought their own men! Why can't WE pick the location this time?!" She asked frustratingly. "Look, if we bring more members this time, call in some from the other hideouts-"

"Lass, it's no use. If we bring people, they bring people. And if comes down to a mini war, we'll suffer casualties too," He lovingly squeezed her shoulder. "And I know how much you _don't_ want that to happen. It's not worth it to have our men killed just for four lives, Carissa. I'm sure we can find another way to end it."

She sighed heavily and hung her head. "And I have been trying to ever since this stupid conflict started… But they're just _so _hard to track down! What we need is to find them when they're most vulnerable. But we don't even know where they hide out. Even our other guilds can't tell us anything…"

"Be patient, love. I'm sure we'll get it some time."

"But it better be sooner."

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

"Looks heated."

"Yeah. Carissa's mad about something. Wonder what it is this time." Gabriel said, as he took a sip from his tankard and observed Brynjolf and Carissa.

"Carissa is an awfully nice woman though." Arisha said, smiling away.

"Yeah, she likes anybody she doesn't stab in the face," He said causally, which caused Arisha to giggle. "Hey, Risha… Can I ask you something? Something's been gnawing at me ever since we met and I need an answer for it."

"Oh," She sat her tankard down on the table. "Sure, Gabriel. What is it?"

Gabriel was almost terrified to ask this question, but he knew he had to. "Were you…?" He cleared this throat. "Were you kissed by the Sun?"

Arisha arched her eyebrows and dropped her jaw at that question. "What?!" But she laughed at him, unable to contain herself. "What's THAT supposed to mean?"

"Well, I mean," He scratched the back of his head embarrassingly, red in the perfectly chiseled cheeks. "Come on, Arisha. You've got those striking eyes – brown with a hint of red, the beautiful bright red hair and let's face it: you're always so radiant. So if that's not the Sun doing its work, then I don't know what it is."

Arisha continued to giggle at this whole situation. "You have a way with words, don't you?"

"But I don't seem to put them together right," Gabriel said, pouting. "I mean, I always have girls coming after me, but I don't even know _half _about women! I just say whatever comes to me. And I'm always the most clueless when I'm around extremely beautiful women so..."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Oh Gods, why are _you _surprised?" He feared for this reaction.

"Well…" Now she was finding it hard to put it to words. "I just thought that maybe… you know… you might be a… you know… a ladies' man. A wolf."

"Ugh…" His forehead connected with the table. "Curse my incredible good looks… I blame my father for it. Apparently he was quite the handsome one. Wonder if he was a wolf too."

"Well, if he truly was, then he wouldn't have settled down with your mother."

He lifted his head and faked a smile. "And then they wouldn't have had me, only to give me up…"

Arisha clicked her tongue and leaned forward. "Come on, Gabriel. You don't have to brood over that now."

"I'm just hoping I never run into them. Nothing here so far, so let's keep it that way."

"Nothing? Gabriel… you told me yesterday you had suspicions-"

"And they're just suspicions, Risha. I don't know if it's true. And I'm not going to confront them and make a fool out of myself."

"So you're just going to leave it be?"

"For now," Gabriel said. "And besides, there were _other _children in the Temple with me, all around my age. I don't even know if her child's a boy or a girl! So there's a chance that it's not me. And besides, it might not even be Carissa in the first place. So what if I have the necklace? It could be another Guild member from one of the many hideouts we have. So I'm staying here where I belong," He cited strongly. "My parents, _especially _my mother, were a selfish human beings. If she had truly loved me, she wouldn't have done this to me, no matter how bad things were. But Carissa is ever so loyal and trustworthy. She could _never _do such a thing."

"But she _did_, Gabriel. You told me she gave up her child."

"Well, Alayna never told me the full story!" He defended. "Maybe something happened in between that we didn't know about!" He sighed and shook his head. "Look, can we go back to me asking you whether or not you've been kissed by the Sun? I still want an answer."

Despite what had just happened, Arisha giggled once again. "Well, if you want to, Gabriel."

"I do," He put on his big green innocent eyes. "So tell me: were you or were you not?"

Arisha chuckled one more time, before getting up from her seat. She began to walk over to his side. "I can't tell you that, but if that's your way of saying I'm pretty," She then bent over to give him a kiss on his cheek. "Then thank you." She caressed his chin and then tapped his nose. "See you later, wolf." So saying, she left his side to meet up with Sapphire and Karliah.

And that left Gabriel beaming on the outside, but prancing around on the inside.

* * *

**A/N: Couples. Couples everywhere. x)  
**

**Gabriel is a shy little boy, isn't he? xD **

**Oh, and I know some people are concerned as to whether Arisha is a spy or maybe playing them for fools or something, but I'd like to officially state that no, Arisha is legit. She's not looking to infiltrate the Guild or anything for her family. :) **

**For the 45th chapter and the fact that this story is about to turn 5 months old on the 24th, the next chappie's gonna be a little fun! ;) No, Gabriel won't find out yet, but he's getting closer! STAY TUNED! :D**


	45. The Dracul Family

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
15****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
8:12am**

"And why is the sabre cat sulking?"

Carissa was soon knocked out of her trance. She stopped leaning against her desk and turned to Gabriel, whose voice brought her back to reality. "Hello to you too, sweetie." She greeted, keeping a faked small smile as she worked on retying her ponytail.

"Why the sad face, boss lady?" Gabriel repeated. "Nervous about meeting the Draculs?"

"Oh, come on," She arched an eyebrow at him. "You think this is nervousness on these features?" She drew and imaginary circle around her face. "No! …This is concern…" She added after a short pause.

"Concern for what?" He asked, arms folded across his massive chest. "That you might stab one of them in the face?"

She smiled at him genuinely; those words making her feel just a teensy bit better. "I just… don't know what to expect from them this time. I mean, over these 17 years, we've got had three meetings so far, all organized by the Draculs: one during the first few months of my reign as Guildmaster, another about 14 years ago, and one more 6 years ago. They would say they want to meet with us because they were 'unsatisfied' with our interference, but each time, they try their luck at killing me and Brynjolf. Every time I want to bring our own men, Bryn always talks me out of it," She glanced at that Bretord face. "He always kept me from doing something stupid."

Gabriel smiled at that. "Well, men tend to do that. For their women," He said, trying to read her face just a little further. "The Draculs always said something, didn't they? Something that upsets you?"

Although she was impressed with his excellent decryption of her facial expressions, she did not allow a true smile to form. She kept her faked tiny smile. "They simply _loved _attack, Gabriel. And it always, _always _me. They used to attack about my- about something personal. And in the last meeting, they went too far: they insulted my dead brother."

"Brother?"

Carissa nodded. "I had an older brother, Audric. He died when I was 10, trying to protect me from some bandits," She gave a quick summary. "Anyway, I don't know how they figured that out, but they did. I was mad," She said, and then turned to him. "Ever seen so mad that you blind a man in his right eye?"

Gabriel widened his pretty green eyes at that. "The son or the father?"

"The father."

"Ah," He nodded understandingly. "And… you said they attacked about something else?"

She then faked a little laugh. "I thought Alayna would have told you."

"About?"

"I had a child. Bryn and I."

"Oh!" This time, Gabriel really picked up his Breton ears and listened. "Oh, well, Alayna did, but I don't know everything. I'm… not a nosy person by nature." _Now THERE'S a huge lie! _"But hey… if you… want to get something off your chest…" He left that sentence open. "I mean… you look like it…"

She laughed again and ran a hand over her head. "You read me like a book, Gabriel… I'm afraid the Draculs will attack Audric and my son again."

…_Son? _"But… that's not all that's putting a frown on that face. You can trust me, you know. Aren't I the son you've always wanted?" He asked with his innocent look.

"Other than Rune, I suppose… Alright. I guess I _need _to talk to someone about it after so long." She turned to him and crossed her arms. "17 years ago, about 5 months after I became Guildmaster, I was pregnant. And I thought that it was going to be blissful but I was wrong. The Draculs and other unhappy 'victims' of the Guild wanted me dead. After all, what's there left if you take out the head? When I was 7 months with child, Rune accompanied me to Whiterun and back, but we ran into some trouble…"

"The Dark Brotherhood…" Gabriel quickly understood.

And Carissa nodded at that. "Rune took an arrow to the back, but he somehow found the strength to get back to his feet and save me. But after that, I was frightened. Scarred beyond anything. I was worried for my son's life. So… I made a decision. To give him up," She looked up at Gabriel. "Of course, Brynjolf wasn't happy with it, but I told him I'd do anything he wanted us to do. It took him a while, but he saw things from my point of view and agreed. But I knew he didn't want to."

"Alayna told me you gave him up at a Temple?" He said.

"Yep. The Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun."

He held his breath right then and there.

Carissa then faked a chuckle. "I don't even know his _name, _Gabriel. I would cry every year on his birthday."

"You… you didn't go to see him?"

"How could I?" She said. "We made an oral agreement with Danica, the head priestess. We agreed that there would be no communications, no letters, nothing. No matter what happens."

"But why?" He tried to keep his cool, and not say that in a horrified manner.

"Gabriel, understand this, sweetie," She glanced at him with her pitiful eyes. "We were having people coming after us. How can I raise a _child_ here? What if the Dracul get their paws on him? I would _die _if anything had happened to my son!"

He was wondering how he managed to keep his tears in place. "Where do you think he is now?"

"Hopefully still at the Temple. Maybe living with a wonderful family. Maybe he's working. Maybe he's married. I just hope he didn't turn out like me," She said. "A thief and an assassin? No. When I saw him after he was born, he had 'innocent' written all over him. He doesn't deserve to live with us and become like us. No, he could have been much more! That's why we gave him up to a temple. I knew he would be raised with all the right values…" She leaned against her desk, smiling. "You know, I really regret giving him the necklace."

He turned his head to her in an instant, eyes widened. "What necklace?"

"Oh, I had a necklace made for him. With a locket that bore the Thieves Guild shadowmark."

Gabriel, at that moment, tried to keep his emotions from spilling everywhere. He also had no idea how he managed to keep his footing.

"I figured, you know, if the temple ever wanted to tell him the truth, and he wanted to come see us, he could. You know, when he was old enough and strong enough to protect himself. And of course, since he's _my _son, he _must've _inherited the ability to be as slick as a sabre cat." She giggled for real.

But then she caught the distraught look on his face, even though he was trying his best to conceal it. "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie, I forgot you were given up as well…" She ran a hand up his cheek. "I knew we shouldn't have talked about this…"

"No, no it's fine," He pulled his face away but kept a smile. "I could… see you needed to let it go, Carissa. I'm glad I was here for ya."

She smiled sweetly at him once more, ever so grateful. "And I'm thankful you decided to lend a pointed ear, Gabriel. Thank you. Now go on. Get ready to leave in about half an hour."

Gabriel nodded, gave her one more small smile and turned away, unable to put together even a single thought.

* * *

**8:45am **

"Gabriel? Gabriel,I really think you need to talk to them."

"I can't… I just can't…"

"Come on, wolfie… everything makes sense now. They _have _to be your parents!"

"I never thought… I mean, I trusted her _so _much… I looked up to her… How could _she _have been the one…?"

"Gabriel!" The voice of the Guildmaster pierced the morning air down in the cistern. "It's time to get moving, sweetie!"

"Um, I'll be there, boss!" Gabriel quickly said, getting up from sitting on his bed, along with Arisha.

Carissa flashed a smile at him. "Well, we'll wait for you at the carriage, alright?" So saying, she left the cistern with Brynjolf and Rune.

Gabriel grumbled heavily, turning back to Arisha.

"Gabriel," Arisha looked up at him with her stunning brown eyes, hinted with red, and gripped his shoulders. "Talk to them when you get back, alright? Please, you can't keep this in forever."

One look into those eyes of hers, and he was reluctant to say no. "Alright, Risha. I will."

"Alright," She smiled at him. "And please, don't blow your top. Be reasonable. Listen to what they have to say."

Gabriel simply nodded again and smiled at her, taking her hands from his shoulders and into his own. The moment he caught her gaze, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, a sign for good luck. "Oh, and remember what I told you about the Draculs. I think you can use it against them later, in case things get a little… heated."

He put a cheeky smile at that. "Oh, that's going to create some fun, won't it?"

* * *

**Location: near the Valtheim Towers in Whiterun  
11:37am**

When Carissa, Brynjolf, Gabriel and Rune arrived at the Valtheim Towers, the Draculs family where already there, patiently awaiting for their arrival, while wearing those pompous smirks on their faces as if nothing had gone wrong for them. That was just their nature: keeping it cool.

The Dracul family consisted of four members, minus Arisha. Aeron and Mathilda Dracul, and their two spawn of Malacath children (according to Carissa), Rurik and Charna Dracul. Aeron was a tall, well-built Redguard, with dark-chocolate short hair and one sapphire-blue eye. Only one eye, thanks to Carissa.

Mathilda was slightly shorter than him, but was a beauty herself, with black waist-length hair and brown eyes, despite her cunning demeanor. She was always behind her husband's back, supporting him all the way, the fuel that drove him forward.

Rurik was the eldest, resembling his father in both height and appearance. He had chin-length hair, flawlessly slicked back. Rurik was a trained swordsman, and with his bulky size, he could easily scare anyone into extinction. Whenever someone needed pushing around or cutting down, Rurik would go in.

Lastly was Charna. She looked just like her mother, but she was what you would get if you crossed Nocturnal's beauty with Mehrunes Dagon's rage. Just like her brother, Charna was trained by the best swordsmen possible, after expressing desire to learn. She was both merciless and resourceful, and putting Carissa away was her one and only goal.

"I was beginning to think you people wouldn't make it."

"Come on, Dracul, this game has been going on for 17 years," Rune spoke, his hands in his pockets as he bore a smirk. "You should know by now how we work. You have been meddling in our affairs for so long."

"Your affairs?" Rurik spoke up, arching an eyebrow at the now 41 year old Imperial. "I think you have it wrong, Imperial. As far as we're concerned, it's the other way around."

"Whichever way it was, you could not bring us down, could you?" Carissa tend said, smiling.

Rurik gave a short chuckle, and decided to cut straight to the point. "We know your people hit one of our wine storages."

"Did we, now? I don't recall anything about that," Brynjolf said, taking a glance at Carissa who glanced back at him, just as 'shocked'. "I believe you'll need something called… proof, lad?"

"Don't pretend here, Nord," Charna said. "And where is she?"

"Where's who?"

"You know who we're talking about."

Carissa pouted. "I'm afraid we all have _no _idea what you're talking about, Dracul."

"You know what? It's fine. You can keep her," Aeron then spoke, having been silent all this while. "That girl was just bringing us down anyway."

"Oh, hello, Aeron," She smirked at him. "It's so good to 'see' you again. How's the eye?"

"Not too good since it met your Daedric Dagger the last time we all came together, Carissa," Aeron, however, had his own smirk: one that said he was going to hit her right where it hurt. "But tell me: how _is _your son?"

As of now, Carissa would have rolled her eyes at that, but he… he mentioned the word 'son'…

"Don't do this now, Dracul. I swear to the Eight…" Brynjolf had one hand on his Dwarvern sword.

"Keep your hands where we can see them, Nord. We're doing the same," Charna ordered. "It's just a simple harmless question."

"And you and your brother are the spawn of Malacath. Shut up." Carissa ignored her, keeping her killer gaze on Aeron. "We never said that our child was a boy, Aeron. How in the Nine did you…?"

"Ah," Aeron let go of a pleased sigh. "It took 17 years and losing an eye to get that kind of information, but I now have it. And I think… it will be all I need to bring you down to your knees, you arrogant Breton."

"WHAT. DO. YOU. KNOW…"

"Aeron, my love," Mathilda then spoke. "Our old friend here is dying to know. Why don't we release her from the suspense?"

"Sure. Why not?" Aeron was going to enjoy this. "We know, Carissa. We know about your boy. We know about the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun. We also know about the adoption and his move to Falkreath."

"He was… adopted?" She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "WHAT HAVE YOU PEOPLE DONE TO HIM?!"

"Took us a while to find him, considering how big High Rock is, but it's easy to find an offspring of yours, Carissa," Charna said, smirking away. "He ought to be resemble Brynjolf here but always so full of himself and always having his mouth get himself into trouble."

"Pfft!" Gabriel, who was in the background all this while, watching this ridiculous scene, almost broke into laughter. "You people are the worst liars I've ever seen!"

"Who in Oblivion are you?" Was Rurik's first question.

"Not important," He said, hands behind his back and wearing his signature cheeky smile, inherited from Brynjolf. "What I want to know is: why would you go through all this trouble and _lie _to our faces, when we know you know _nothing_?"

"Do _you _know something, little boy?" Rurik said, stepping forward.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He said, standing in front of Rurik, showing no difference in their heights. "Now, I think we're done here, Draculs. Get a move on. And don't you _dare _insult _my _Guildmaster _or _her son ever again…" He growled almost as ferociously as a sabre cat.

Rurik smirked. "Or _what_, little boy? You're going to kill me? Give it your best shot!" He said, spreading his arms wide.

"Nope," Gabriel shook his head. "Too easy. Come on, boss. We should get going." He turned his heel and walked just a few steps.

Aeron could not believe that last statement made. "What is this, Carissa? You are recruiting cowards now?"

"Oh no, it's got nothing to do with that," Gabriel spun around, still holding his cheeky grin. "I'm just afraid that if I were to stay here any longer and get agitated, I would do something or say something hostile like… Oh, I dunno…" He tapped his chin in though. "Rurik and Charna were actually adopted and they have been lied to all this while?"

And at that moment, Rurik and Charna lost control of their lower jaws and they dropped to the ground.

"Oops! I guess they know now, don't they? Let's go, boss," He took a quick glance at Carissa. "Our work here is done…"

* * *

**A/N: You go, Gabriel! xD**

** Gauls: Ugh... I never said Arisha was adopted by Carissa and Bryn as their kid. I just said she was recruited into the Guild xD**

**I hope you liked this chapter! The next one will be, well... WHAT EVERYONE'S BEEN WAITING FOR :D**

**Happy 5th month anniversary x) **


	46. The Shadowmark on the Necklace

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Near the Valtheim Towers in Whiterun  
15****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
11:37am**

"Mother, this isn't true, is it?"

"Now, now, child…"

"DON'T give us that! TELL us that that fool is lying! Papa, say something!"

As Carissa, Brynjolf, Rune and Gabriel made their way back to their Guild carriage, the shrieks of the two Dracul children were fading away in the background. And Gabriel tried to enjoy it even as the screeches got softer and softer.

But as the Thieves Guild members headed back for their carriage, a few thoughts raced through Gabriel's mind. How did the Draculs find out about the Temple and worse, his home in Falkreath? Yes, the Dark Elf weapons trainer simply adopted him and made him his assistance, but it was also where Gabriel spent the next 7 years of his life. He was concerned. No, he was worried. He was-

"Gabriel!" Carissa's call interrupted his thoughts. "How _did _you get that kind of information back there?!"

"Oh that?" Gabriel turned around to face her, stopping his tracks. "We have our own Dracul in the Guild, don't we? Well, she told me things she knew I would like…"

"So that means Arisha is…?" Brynjolf left that sentence open.

"Yes," He nodded. "None of the three Dracul children are related to each other, or their parents. Apparently, Mathilda couldn't have children so they simply adopted these three of 'superior breeding' and raised them to be the spawns of Malacath as you know them now."

"But this… this is ABSOLUTELY amazing!" Carissa almost cheered with glee. "I have never seen them all so speechless before! You did a great job, sweetie!" She patted his chest lovingly. "I'm really proud!"

"Don't just thank me, boss. Remember to thank Arisha."

"DUH." She said, as Brynjolf lifted her effortlessly into the Guild carriage.

Gabriel smiled back, but was still boiling over their earlier conversation, and was also troubled about his home in Falkreath. Testing his luck, he asked Carissa, "Um, boss? Look, I know that this isn't part of our plan… but is it alright if I head over to Falkreath for a bit?"

"Oh? What's so important, sweetie?" She questioned as she made herself comfortable.

"Well, back there, the Draculs mentioned being in Falkreath when they were trying to find your son. Now, we all know they were faking the whole 'finding him in High Rock' thing, but we don't know if they actually hit Falkreath. I… grew up with a Dark Elf weapons trainer there and I… I just want to know if the old man's safe." He gave her a genuine, innocent look.

To which Carissa couldn't say no to. "I understand completely, sweetie. We can drop by Falkreath. I'm sure Melrik here won't mind!"

Melrik the Orc glanced over his broad shoulders and shook his head with a huge smile. "Not at all, youngling. We can get there and back to Riften before the night falls."

"I owe you, Gabriel," Gabriel turned his attention back to Carissa. "Come on. I'll steal something real nice for on the way back."

* * *

**Location: Falkreath  
3:17pm**

Throughout the entire journey to Falkreath, Gabriel could not stop thinking. He was thinking about why he had not noticed the signs that were so _clearly _in front of him: he resembled Carissa and Brynjolf in every way. When Danica told him that his parents were in a 'bad profession', he should have guessed it the moment he first stole. He should have guessed that he naturally inherited the passion for thieving. Damn it, he should have _realized _the moment he met Carissa itself.

He was trying not to let this anger take over, but everytime he looked at Carissa, he saw the woman who gave him up and never contacted him again. Whenever he looked at Brynjolf, he saw the man who let her do this to him.

The carriage finally made it to Falkreath. Falkreath: home to the graveyard of many Nord dead including honored dead of past battles. The people of Falkreath gave many of their shops and other buildings names related to death. Gabriel found it all very bizarre when he first came, but spending the next 7 years here changed it all, and he loved this little town just as much as Whiterun.

Melrik halted the carriage when they were inside just enough of Falkreath to glance at Rondel Valerius' residence. And there he was, setting up a practice dummy just in front of his front door. Rondel wore simply workman's clothes. He had red eyes, black hair loosely tied up and a goatee. His house was still in intact; the same went for most of Falkreath. And old Rondel himself seemed fine. Looks like the Draculs did not use aggressive means to find him at all.

Seeing that sight enabled Gabriel to release that breath he had been unknowingly holding for so long.

Carissa, Brynjolf and Rune watched as Gabriel stared at Rondel, simply relieved that he was okay. "Don't you want to talk to him?" Rune questioned.

Gabriel kept his eyes on Rondel but shook his head. "No, I can't. Right now, he thinks I'm in High Rock. But the old man was like a father to me. Even if it was just for 7 years."

Rondel had finally finished setting up that practice dummy and was going to work on the next one. When he was done, he had a contented look on his slightly wrinkled features.

"Are you alright, Gabriel?" Carissa asked out of concern.

"Yeah," He answered. "Yeah, I'm alright. I'm just glad nothing happened to the people I love."

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
8:06pm **

When the four Guild members returned, Gabriel immediately looked to Arisha for guidance.

"Gabriel, I told you this morning: talk to them."

"What do I say?"

"Whatever makes you feel like you'd get the most of it. But the important this that you be rational and patient. This is not only happening to you, you know."

"But Risha… the thought of Carissa being the one who gave me up… after I trust her so much and looked up to her…"

Arisha reached up and ran a loving hand past his cheek. "Aw… I know, wolfie… Look, if you don't want to do this tonight…"

"No," Gabriel glanced past Arisha, spotting Carissa at her desk, overlooking her ledger book. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight if I don't. I need to do this today. But… I myself don't even know how I'm going to react to all of this. If it's actually true. She identifies the necklace, and it's confirmed."

"How are you feeling now?"

"I don't know… Angry. Upset. Confused. All three, I guess…"

Arisha ran her hands up his upper arms, in an attempt to calm him. "Deep breaths, wolfie. Don't explode. That's all I can say. Go." She added after a short pause.

Gabriel knew he was not going to like this, but he had little to no choice. As he walked up to his Guildmaster, the woman who might just be his mother, he felt like time was passing in slow-motion. But he wanted answers, and that was just what he was going to get. He only hoped that he would stay calm enough to hear what she had to say.

"Hey, sweetie!" Carissa greeted him with her sweet smile. "Do you need something?"

Gabriel kept his eyebrows knitted together as he prepared himself. Without a word, he took off the conceal necklace from around his neck and placed it on Carissa's desk, the locket facing her.

Carissa looked down at her desk, and was face-to-face with the Thieves Guild shadowmark. At that moment, these few lines flooded her memory:

_"What you got there?" _

_"Oh this… Just something I had Glover make a while back."_

_"It's lovely. Who is it for?"_

_"Our son."_

"_Our son? What do you mean?"_

_"Well I was thinking and… I know we're handing him over to Danica. We agreed that we would never have any connections with them for his sake. But… But I was thinking that maybe when our son is old enough, when he can protect himself, the temple can tell him who we are and if he wants to, he can come visit us."_

_"The shadowmark on the locket…"_

_"And we can recognize him too."_

Carissa kept gazing at the necklace as if it was keeping some kind of hold on her. Or perhaps it was out of shock. But at that point, she was not even thinking straight.

"Before you ask, no: I didn't steal this from anyone," Gabriel said in a low tone, trying to fight back his emotions. "Danica gave me this and told me to hang onto it and that when I turned 17, she would tell me something very important. However, she… died before that could happen."

Not even the mention of Danica's death enabled Carissa to tear her gaze away from the necklace.

"I eventually came to a conclusion that she had wanted to talk to me about my parents. However, by the time I was 10, I had no desire of knowing about or meeting parents because _I hate them. _I hate them for they did to me, especially my _mother_, who thought that this could save me, but what she failed to realize was that this would affect me mentally and emotionally." He said solemnly. "Trust me, if you hadn't told me that story this morning, I wouldn't be doing this. But now I am because it's _too damn coincidental_. Questions have been brought up that can't be shut down anymore so I want answers," He looked at her. "I want you to tell me that this is _not _true, that that necklace does _not _belong to you and that you and Brynjolf are _not _my parents because I took you for a highly loyal, trustworthy woman, someone whom I was damned _proud _to look up to and work for. So tell me that _it's not true_."

Tears were already forming in both their eyes. Carissa's was already falling one by one.

"Carissa…" Gabriel took in a deep breath and this possibly the last one before he would erupt. "Say _something_, damn it…"

How could she? The words were caught in her windpipe. But she tried to make the attempt to saying something. "Gabriel…" With an incredible amount of effort, she looked up at him. Both of their hearts were racing at an unbelievably fast rate. And that was all Carissa could muster while the tears streamed down her face.

That was all the confirmation Gabriel needed. He almost staggered backwards. "Oh my Gods…"

"Gabriel, please…" She tried to reach for him. "If you'd let me explain…"

"NO!" He exclaimed, stunning everybody in the cistern, including Brynjolf and his wolf, Maya, who just entered the cistern. "NOT a chance! _You're _my mother? How could it be? I'd expect the woman who gave me up to be irresponsible, irrational…! _How _can it be you, of all people! You were everything I wanted to be!"

"But Gabriel, I told you this morning-"

"Well, I'M SORRY, but it's not good enough!" He shouted once more, before giving up and making his way to the Ragged Flagon.

"No, wait!" Carissa ran after him in desperation. "Gabriel, wait! Please!"

"DON'T touch me! Just leave me be!" He pulled her hands away.

"Gabriel! What in the Eight, lad?" Brynjolf questioned, upon witnessing his wife calling for him frantically.

"Leave me alone, the both of you!" Gabriel ordered, busting open the door leading to the Ragged Flagon and disappearing.

"Gabriel, please! Come _back_!" Carissa cried out one last time before falling to her knees in distress.

* * *

**A/N: What you people have been waiting for for 8 chapters! :D  
**

**The next chapter will feature flashbacks and some reconciliations... but also DISASTER :O **


	47. Reconciliations, Disasters

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Falkreath  
29****th**** of Second Seed, 4E 212  
(7 years ago)**

"_You're making good progress, Gabriel. And it's only been 2 weeks. I guess you weren't kidding when you said you had a passion for weapons." _

"_Thanks, Rondel!"_

"_Well, it's almost dinnertime. Go find the other boys and get them back home. By the way, have you seen my hammer anywhere?"_

"… _Nope. Not a single clue…" _

* * *

**Location: Temple of Kynareath, Whiterun  
2****nd**** of Hearthfire, 4E 219  
4:13pm  
**

"Aw, Danica…"

"Gabriel… what are you doing here? Is it the 3rd of Hearthfire already?"

"The 2nd, Danica," Gabriel walked into her room and sat on the bed with her. "Aw… what happened to you?"

"Oh… just a little fever, is all, Gabriel. You didn't have to come down here…" Danica said weakly, mustering the best smile she could.

"Come on, Danica…" He leaned over and stroked her forehead lovingly, feeling the heat emit from her. "You're family. Of course I'll come down here… Gods know that you wouldn't say anything. Thank Kynareath for Angela and the rest."

"Big mouths…"

"Just rest, Danica. I'll be here until you get better."

Her form of a grateful thank you was through a smile. She reached up and patted his cheek. "How fast you've turned 17… Now I have to tell you everything I know about your parents tomorrow."

Gabriel arched his eyebrows. "Danica, no. You don't have to."

"No, Gabriel. I've lied to you for far too long. I'm no better. I have to tell you what I know, and you have to see them. You're a strong boy now. You can protect yourself from whatever it was your parents were protecting you from."

"What's the point, Danica?" He said. "All I know is, is that they gave me up, left me scarred, and this stupid necklace which I don't even know _why _I'm carrying it around my neck!" He pulled the locket out of concealment.

Danica remained calm as she stroked his cheek. "Because I told you to, sweetheart. Please don't be mad."

He sighed, not wanting to take his anger out on his guardian. "No, Danica. I'm not mad at you. Don't worry. I just don't want to know anything, that's all."

"But you deserve to."

"No, I don't."

"You don't have to go see them or anything, you know. I won't force you to do that," She said. "It's just that… when it's my time to go-"

"Danica!" He hushed her.

"Let me finish, Gabriel," She said softly. "When it's my time to go, I don't want you regret not knowing even a little bit about your parents. What if you'd like to know at a later age, and I'm not around?"

Gabriel knew he was being stubborn, but that was just in his nature. He truly didn't care about his parents, since they didn't care about him enough to have done this to him. But Danica had a point. A strong one. "Alright," He agreed reluctantly. "Tomorrow evening."

Danica nodded at him with a smile. "Tomorrow."

But that night, the fever became worse, and Danica never saw tomorrow.

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
15****th**** of Sun's Dusk, 4E 219  
8:06pm **

"Carissa? Carissa, dear, it's alright. Don't cry." Karliah tried her best to comfort her friend of 18 years, but no avail.

"Gabriel had no right to say those things to you, Carissa. Come on, wipe those tears away." Vex tried her own best to keep her strict tone, but seeing her Guildmaster sob like that was hurting her own heart.

"Why…?" Carissa whimpered, her face submerged in her hands. "_Why_ didn't I realize?" She then removed her hands from her face, still crying her heart out. "He is everything _I _am! He has almost _all _of my traits! And by the Gods, he resembles Bryn to the core! I _knew_… but _why _didn't I believe in it and turn him away…?"

"Mama," Alayna Larue was kneeling down in front her mother, trying her own best to console her. "Please don't be hard on yourself. You had no way of knowing."

"No…" She shook her head. "I'm his mother. I was _supposed_ to know…" She lamented, and then glanced around, wanting to find her husband. "Wait. Where's Brynjolf?"

"He went after Gabriel after he stormed out of the Cistern. Gods know where they are…" Rune said.

Carissa raised her eyebrows and widened her teary electric-blue eyes. "On his own? It's dangerous! The Draculs… what if they-?"

"Carissa, they were just taken down a notch. I doubt they pose much of a threat right now." Sapphire said, standing next to her husband.

"No… no, we can't take the risk!" Carissa said. "Maya! Maya, go after them! Make sure they're alright!" She ordered her long-time companion.

Maya barked with a little nod, springing to her feet and running for the Ragged Flagon.

"I'll go too." Rune said, picking up his own Daedric Dagger.

"I'm coming too!" Alayna added.

"No, Layna! Not at a time like this!" Carissa cried out, taking Alayna's hand.

But Alayna pulled away, shaking her head. "That's my father and my _brother _out there, Mama!" She strongly citied. "I'm _not _leaving them for the Draculs to pick off!"

* * *

**Location: Outside of Riften  
Meanwhile…**

"Gabriel! Gabriel, for the love of the _Eight_, lad, you don't slow down, my heart just might give out!"

Gabriel did stop, but it wasn't because Brynjolf was calling for him to do so in distress. It was because he was tired of running from the Cisten all the way to the outside of Riften, way past the city's gates. Or maybe it _was _because Brynjolf was calling for him. Gabriel couldn't even think straight now. He didn't know whether to continue being mad or start crying. The tears in his unbelievable green eyes were telling him to do the latter, so he did. He came to a stop.

Brynjolf was relieved beyond anything, thanking the Eight Divines and plopping himself onto a nearby large rock, trying to catch his breath. He leaned against the rock, closing his eyes. "Shor's Bones, lad! You looked like you were ready to run all the way back to Whiterun!"

Gabriel spun around in an instant, wearing a rather daunting-looking mask. "That WAS my intention, you know! I DON'T WANT to stay another moment over there!"

To Gabriel's surprise, Brynjolf chuckled amiably. "Well, well, you really _must _be my son. You've got your mother's scary face."

Gabriel took one intimidating step closer. "You are _not _my father. She is _not _my mother."

"Whether you like it or not, lad, we _are_."

Gabriel was also flabbergasted by other thing about Brynjolf: he was calm about this all. Brynjolf was attempting to talk to him with much composure, which of course, Gabriel was not giving him.

Brynjolf got back to his feet and made his way to him. "Gabriel… I think you need to hear to full story."

"Oh, I know _everything_, Brynjolf," He told him with a jeer. "Yeah, Carissa told me this morning. We got to talking and she spilled everything to me. And guess what? IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH."

"Gabriel-"

"Look, I know you didn't want to give me up!" He said. "I know you were reluctant to, but Carissa changed your mind! And YOU let her!"

"Lad, she had a point!"

"WHAT POINT?!"

"Gabriel, she was still being targeted while she was pregnant with you!" Brynjolf said. "She was going to be a mother; she was _scared_, lad. She was frightened for your life more than hers. She made a decision that she felt would protect you."

"Yeah, well it didn't protect me!" Gabriel yelled. "Do you have _any _idea what it feels like? I had to grow up with other children asking me why I didn't have a mother and father like they did! Why I was living at the Temple! Whether or not my parents even wanted me in the first place!" By the last statement, the Bretord had calmed down, but his speech and gestures were still reflecting his pain and anger.

"We did, Gabriel," Brynjolf assured with all his heart. "We really _truly _did. Let me be honest: I fainted when your mother told me she was with child."

"Fainted?" Gabriel arched an eyebrow. "That… wasn't very masculine of you."

At that moment, Brynjolf smiled. "You may resemble me, lad, but you are literally the perfect representation of your mother. She said the same thing."

Gabriel wanted to smile, but then he would be smiling about the woman he loathed - the woman who made the decision to give him up in the first place.

"Yes, Carissa was the one who made this decision. And no, I was not fond of it," Brynjolf continued, upon seeing that Gabriel had quietened. "But lad… we crossed with dangerous people here. The Draculs were not to be trifled with. We had no idea what they were capable of, until they started to attack your mother even while she was with child. She didn't want you caught in the middle of it all. And neither did I."

"Then why didn't you quit the business? Couldn't let it go?"

He shook his head. "We would give up everything for you, Gabriel, but you really think they'd leave us alone even if we were to disappear? They're the restless kind. You know that," He said. "We had nowhere to go or run. They'd still come after us. After your mother."

Gabriel could not find new words to put together after that.

"There wasn't a day where she wouldn't regret her decision, you know."

"Oh really? How so?"

"She would cry every night."

Gabriel faked a short laugh. "Don't exaggerate."

"I'm not, lad," Brynjolf swore with a stern look on his face. "I would _know_. Every day, in the middle of the night, she's next to me and she's sobbing. _Every _night. It turns into a waterfall on your birthday…" He hoped his next sentence would make his son understand once and for all. "Gabriel, I know that we've hurt you very much. We overlooked how this would affect you growing up, but I swear, we never meant for anything like this to happen. I don't know if what I'm saying to you justifies what we did, but we are _so _sorry and we have regretted it every day of our lives."

Gabriel felt a punch to his heart right then and there. "Bryn…"

"Gabriel, Carissa cries every night for you. I myself cry every night because my wife is crying next to me and because I miss my son too," Tears came to him in an instant. "_I _was holding you when I gave you up to Danica. For a second, I felt like running away with you and forgetting about ever giving you up… I regret not doing that…"

Gabriel looked at his hands glumly as he asked his next question. "You two are _that _sorry?"

Brynjolf faked a short chuckle. "I even believe your mother is suffering more than I am. And she thinks she deserves the punishment." With that, he walked up to Gabriel, who stood his ground. "Gabriel, you don't have to come back to the Guild if you don't want to. But… but I think your mother would like to see you and apologize herself. I know you don't owe us anything, but please, don't let her punish herself anymore."

Gabriel's next sentence almost shocked the Nord. "I won't," He glanced up at his father. "She's my mother, isn't she? Why should she punish herself for protecting her son?"

He gaped at that. "Gabriel-"

"I was wrong, Brynjolf," He admitted, raising both his hands. "As much as I was angry for what was done to me, I knew it was for the best. If I had actually let Danica tell me everything before she died, we wouldn't be out here: arguing. And I wouldn't have left my mother back at the cistern, possibly bawling her pretty blue eyes out."

Brynjolf let a small grin form. "You… you think she has pretty eyes?"

"Oh yeah! I mean, I knew my mother was beautiful, but _damn_, she looks good for her age! I mean, those eyes! Wow!" Gabriel looked as if he was holding that comment back for a while now. "Makes me jealous of my unbelievably green ones…"

Brynjolf folded his arms across his massive chest, clearing his throat at the young Breton-Nord.

"Uh, not that I'm complaining!" He held his hands up in truce. "I mean, I also knew my father was the handsome one, but I never knew it until I grew up and grew into the looks! No wonder I keep getting all the women…"

The older Nord laughed heartily at that. "Gabriel? Could I ask you one question?"

"Sure."

"You knew what the shadowmark meant. You knew what you were getting yourself into. Why'd you join knowing you would run into us?"

Gabriel gave a smile which said he knew this question was coming. "Because I didn't," He said. "I mean, the Guild has establishments everywhere. What are the odds of me joining the one where my parents were? And maybe they were even dead? And besides," He allowed a cheeky smile, inherited from Brynjolf, to form on his lips. "I simply _love _thieving. It's an absolute passion. Shouldn't I be in a place where my talents would be better served?"

"Hm. I suppose so," He acknowledged, satisfied with that answer. "Can I say one thing though?"

"Sure."

"Am I EVER glad you inherited your height from your old man!"

Gabriel was almost going to lose it over that comment. The two men laughed wholeheartedly, unable to contain themselves. Oh, if only Carissa found out. She would make sure that they never laugh again.

Following that, Brynjolf was enveloped in a tight hug given to him by his son. How long had the second-in-command hoped to hug his boy once again. And that moment was finally here. He was relieved he was able to speak to and make things right. "I've missed you like crazy, lad. We'll never leave you again."

Gabriel simply could not form any words at that moment; his father's words were to powerful. So instead, he hugged him tighter.

Which only brought more bigger smiles to the Nord's face. "Come on, son. Let's go home." 'Son'… that felt good to say. He pulled back, slapping Gabriel's shoulders.

And it was so good to hear. "Alright." Maybe it was too soon to start calling him 'papa' or 'father', but Gabriel knew he would eventually.

The next few moments felt like they went by as fast as lightning. Brynjolf's smile disappeared. He suddenly pushed Gabriel to his right and then he fell to the ground… with an iron dagger to the centre of his chest.

On his knees, Gabriel was mortified to see what had been done to his father. "NO!"

"Those iron daggers _really _come in handy!" He almost dreaded turning around but he did…

… And there stood Rurik and Charna Dracul, both wielding Scimitars and looking very, _very _pissed.

Gabriel immediately sprung to his feet, brandishing his Glass Dagger. He was in a conflict: help Brynjolf or fight the Draculs? There laid his father, having rolled to his side, grunting in pain from that dagger to the chest. The _chest_, for Kynareth's sake! But then there was the Draculs - both highly trained and now looking for a fight. Every fiber of Gabriel's being wanted him to reach for his father, but a wrong move could result in his own death.

"You made a big, BIG mistake crossing us, boy!" Rurik declared. "So YOU'RE the spawn of that bitch we've been searching for!"

"SHUT UP, Draculs! That's my mother you're talking about!" Gabriel yelled back, tears in his green eyes. "What have you done?!"

"We've waited for this moment for a long, _long _time, boy," Charna growled. "We're NOT about to throw it away! Killing you, your father and your bitch of a mother is a _great _way to let off all the steam after you destroyed our family!"

"Oh, just by telling you a simple truth? GROW UP."

"ENOUGH, you little bastard! This ends now!"

"BRING IT ON."

* * *

**A/N: O.O Oh sh*t, son! :O  
**

**Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this was the disaster! A very angry brother and sister coming after Gabriel! And poor Bryn getting caught in the middle of it all ;_;  
**

**So, my beautiful readers, Bryn's fate lies in all of YOUR hands! Yes! You will vote and decide what happens to him! Will he live or die? :O **

**Please state your decision in your reviews! So if the majority decide that Bryn should live, then I will write that in. But if the majority says no, then I will write that in. **

**However, whichever the decision is, I will also write the latter as an extra, unofficial chapter at the end of this story. Which means, if the majority of the reviews say he should live, then I will write an extra chapter of him dying, just to see how the outcome becomes and vice versa. **

**Why? Because... this story will come to an end soon :(**


	48. Save You

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Outside of Riften  
15****th**** of Sun's Dusk, 4E 219  
8:19pm **

"BRING IT ON."

"Would you like a go at it, sister dear?"

"Why not?" Charna Dracul twirled the Scimitar in her hand gracefully, taking a few steps to the very angry Gabriel.

If one looked very closely, they would see smoke coming out of Gabriel's slightly pointed ears. "I don't normally hit women," He said, wielding his Glass Dagger. "But to Oblivion with it! I'm leaving the BOTH of you here for dead!"

Charna threw an iron dagger at him from out of nowhere. As if he was expecting it, Gabriel ducked, and an attack by Charna followed suit. He quickly blocked the attack with his dagger. Being the stronger of the two, he easily pushed her off and the two weapons began clashing against each other.

Taking a step back, Gabriel managed to throw her off and swipe his dagger across her chest. It cut through her luxurious fighter's outfit, but not enough to cause a serious wound.

Suddenly, Rurik joined in, taking a stab at Gabriel just after Charna's injury. Gabriel just barely jumped out of the way. Then, Rurik and Charna both brought their scimitars down on Gabriel, who used his glass dagger to block it. However, it wasn't good enough: Gabriel took one of the scimitars to his sword hand. The harder he attempted to push it back, the deeper the wound was on him.

Rurik's scimitar was doing the damage; Gabriel was successfully blocking Charna's attack. So he kneed Rurik in the stomach and really pushed back Charna with all his might. But the damage had been done to Gabriel's sword hand – his right arm. It felt too painful to even grip his glass dagger. He clutched his arm and fell to the ground, next to the motionless Brynjolf.

The Dracul siblings had only evil grins on their faces, upon seeing Gabriel's plight. They were ready to end this.

"AH!" But then, out of the blue, Charna fell to her knees… and revealing an arrow driven deeply to her back.

Rurik was taken aback, as was Gabriel. He looked forward… and found Rune, Maya, and a very enraged Alayna Larue with an Elven bow. Maya was growling savagely, ready to take a bite of something.

"Oh-"

Rurik did not even get to finish his sentence. Because in an instant, with energy from out of nowhere, Gabriel drove his glass dagger into Rurik's lower back with as much force possible, leaving him to die on the cold floor.

Charna pulled out the arrow, not without further injuring herself, but still wielded that scimitar in hand. Her attempt to end Gabriel was only in vain when Alayna, with tears in her ocean-blue eyes, made the run for her, got the jump of her and stabbed the Redguard in the neck, shoving the knife as deep as she could.

And then after that: nothing. There was only silence in this bitter, dark night outside of Riften.

"BITCH!" But then, Alayna's exclamation broke the quietness. "Papa!"

Alayna hurried over to Brynjolf's side, where Gabriel already was, accessing the wound on his chest. The iron dagger was still here, and even when time had passed by, there was not much blood. In fact, there was hardly any.

Alayna ran her hands past his cheeks and hair. "No…" She then gripped the iron dagger, wanting to extract it.

"Alayna, don't!" Gabriel clasped her hand with his left one. "That dagger's keeping him alive!" He said frantically. "And I think it's poisoned. But he's still alive. Not responding, but alive."

"We need to get him back!" She said, ready to sob.

"Come on!" Rune rushed over. "Let's not waste any time!"

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild**

"LEXA! GET YOUR MER ASS OVER HERE!"

Lexa (not being her real name, of course), a Wood Elf and the Guild's personal medic, did not like being yelled for. Coming close to 100 years of age, she certainly hated being bossed around. However, when she turned around to see who were entering the cistern, the color drained from her fair face. "Oh my Gods! What happened?!"

Gabriel and Rune were carrying their unconscious second-in-command over their shoulders, dragging him to the nearest bed. "The Draculs happened!" Alayna said with tears eyes. "Lexa, please! You have to save him!"

"Now, now, child," Lexa said in a gentle tone. "There's no point in you getting worked up. Calm down." When Gabriel and Rune put him on the bed, Lexa took a look at the stab wound, the knife still being there. "Doesn't look too deep, but I think the knife's been dipped with poison," She declared as she quickly tied her bright brown hair into a bun. "Nocturnal, help him… I'll try my best." She then caught sight of Gabriel clutching his right arm. "Gabriel, your arm-"

"Forget about me! Please! Just save my father!" He almost begged the Wood Elf, while Arisha Dracul, who rushed over to him, had a cloth against his arm.

The entire Guild was in the cistern, looking over Brynjolf. Some were tear-eyed, some were stunned, some had no words to put together, but all of them were silently praying.

"OI!" And at that moment, all of them froze, for the shout of their Guildmaster shot through the air. Carissa popped her head out from the doorway of her private quarters. "What's going on here?" She walked out of the room, and witnessed the looks on all of her family members. "What's with all the yelling? Are they back yet?"

She scanned the cistern and that was when her electric-blue eyes fell on Brynjolf. Lexa had extracted the knife out and was applying bandage after bandage on the wound, often casting a healing spell on him to keep him from slipping away.

"**NO!**" Carissa cried out frantically, making a run for him. "BRYN!"

"Carissa, wait!" Rune quickly got to her, and grabbed her by her waist in order to stop her from advancing to him.

"LEMME GO, RUNE!" She almost screeched. "Let me go! Brynjolf!" She desperately called out for him, despite knowing he was no position to answer.

"Carissa, it's alright!" Rune told her, trying his best to hold her down. "Lexa has this. He's going to be okay."

"No…" She sobbed into her right-hand man's chest, unable to break out of his grip to go to her husband. "Why him? Oh Gods… why him…?"

And at that moment, seeing his mother cry her heart out for his father, the last of Gabriel's hatred for Carissa burned away like rain on a hot forge.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, nobody likes short chapters, but I really wanna end this story on Chapter 50!  
**

**Yes, ladies and gents, this story's coming to an end ;_; **

**Don't worry, I will be answering the fate of the remaining two Draculs! **

**And I can't believe I was stupid enough to ask you guys to vote on Bryn's fate. I SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE RESPONSES. For the love of Jesus, DON'T THREATEN ME ALREADY...  
However, I will still write the extra chapter of him no surviving, but only post it if you guys want. If not, I'll just keep it in mah laptop :) **

**And upon reading skyflower51's review, I made a little change to the last few parts of the last chapter! **

**Stay tuned for the next chapter! I should have it up by Monday! :D **


	49. Hanging On

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
15****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
9:12pm**

"Here you go, wolfie."

"Aw, bless your little heart, Risha. Thank you." Gabriel said with much gratefulness when Arisha brought him that tankard of hot water. He was in much pain after suffering that wound to his sword arm, despite Arisha's successful attempt at bandaging it. Guess it would heal with time.

"Are you still in pain?" She asked in her sweet mellow tone.

"Now that you're here? Hm, not as much as before." He said with his cheeky smile.

Arisha arched an eyebrow and decided to test that out. She poked him in the injured arm with a finger, eliciting a wail from the Bretord. "OWWWWWWW! What was THAT for?!"

"To see if you were telling the truth! And obviously, you were not."

"Seriously? Come on!" He almost whined, massaging his arm. "UGH. Who knew courting you was a huge job…"

"Ah HA!" She pointed a finger that screamed 'busted' at him. "So you finally admit it! You were trying to court me all this while!"

He gave him the 'are you serious' look. "Really? You're figuring that out _now_? Woman, you were only thing to have ever caught my eye. Why would I have _not _being trying to court you all this while?"

"Because you're a little wolf."

"Now, didn't I tell you that it's the women that come after me, and that I'm completely helpless when around beautiful women such as yourself?" He leaned forward, catching her hazel-hinted-with-red eyes. "You blow me away, Arisha. What will it take for me to be yours?"

Arisha let go of a giggle at that. "Well, wolfie…" She herself leaned in a little closer, their lips perilously close. "What makes you think you're not mine already?"

At that moment, he wanted to claim her lips as his own, but Arisha placed a finger on his lips, prevented him from doing so. "Nope. On my terms, Bretord. You're gonna wait for it." So saying, she skipped off, leaving Gabriel alone and disappointed, but with a huge grin on his face. So this was how it was going to be? He blamed himself for her change in attitude – from a quiet, scared little girl to the semi-wild one she was now.

When Arisha left, someone else came up to him, tears forming in her pale-blue eyes. Gabriel was wondering what took her so long to come and speak to him. So he smiled at her and extended his left hand to her, asking her to embrace him. "Well, don't just stand there, princess. Aren't you going to give your big brother a hug?"

And immediately, Alayna fell into her elder brother's arms and gave him the biggest hug known to mankind. "Hey now. It's alright, Alayna."

"I can't believe it…" She was almost sobbing and she couldn't understand why. "I mean, I _had _the slightest feeling it was you but… I never actually knew…!"

Gabriel could only chuckle as he stroked her back gently. "You know, I'm glad it's me too," He said. "I would kill to get a little sister like you to spoil."

Alayna allowed herself to laugh at that, and the tears stopped. She pulled back to smile at him even those it was a teary one. "And I don't think I can get a better older brother than you, Gabriel. It's _so _good to meet you."

He smiled back, just as contented. "You too, little sister. You too."

She gave him another grin, before turning her head to where their mother was. Carissa was at Brynjolf's side, looking over him but appeared as if she was in a trance. Brynjolf was already patched up, had countless healing spells casted upon him, now his breathing was regular. But he had not woken up yet. And that was what was frightening Carissa. Maya was on the bed, her head on Brynjolf's abdomen, looking very solemn, and whimpering sometimes for her favorite Nord.

"You should go talk to her." Alayna said to him.

"Me?"

She turned her head to him. "I think she'd best benefit from a little talk with her son. Are you still mad at her?"

"No," He shook his head, staring at Carissa. "No, not anymore. I saw the way she cried for our father. The desperation, the fear… Now I know how she felt every night when she would cry for me. I can't be made at her anymore, Layna. How can I be?"

That answer was more than satisfying for Alayna. "Then go, big brother. I think the both of you really need each other right now."

"What about you?" He gave her his attention. "You're family. We'll need you too."

"When papa wakes up, the three of you will have a lot to talk about. And there'll be no use of me being there. It's alright, Gabriel. You go on ahead," She told him. "I think she needs her son right now."

Maybe there was some truth in there. Ever since getting back, Gabriel and Carissa had not spoken. And judging by the way he knew his mother was feeling right now, the Gods knew they both needed each other.

Gabriel was wondering how to handle this. Should he be stern? Should he be calm? Calm – maybe that was the best way to go. She did not need any more pressure, that was for sure. So he walked up to her and asked in a serene tone, "Want some company?"

It was almost like Carissa was afraid to turn and face the person standing in front of her. It took her an incredible amount of courage, but she glanced up at the Breton-Nord. "That'd be nice." She said in a cracked voice, but it also with a hint of fear.

Gabriel took a seat next to her on the bed. He watched as Carissa lovingly stroked Brynjolf's forehead, silently wanting him to wake up. "I don't know why you're so upset," He said. "He'll fight this. He's a Nord after all."

She never took her eyes or hand off her husband as she faked a laugh. "And they also say that Nord are incapable of stringing together a couple of decent words," Then Gabriel felt her tone sadden. "But I'd give anything for him to say _something _right now…"

"Mama, he'll be fine. I know he will. Just stay strong, alright?"

At that moment, shock seized hold of Carissa. She turned her head to him, tears regrouping in her electric blue eyes. "W-what did you say?"

One corner of his mouth curved into a smile. "I called you 'mama'. I mean, isn't that how I have to address you?"

She didn't know what to feel upon hearing that. "Gabriel…"

"Look, please don't tell me you're sorry," He said. "I don't have any more anger towards you. I mean, how can I? I saw how you cried for papa. It made me realize that you probably cried just as hard for me for 17 years straight… How can I be mad? I couldn't… As much as I suffered, you suffered as well. You and papa. So can _you _forgive me? For yelling at you like that?" He asked with those big unbelievable green eyes.

Carissa fell into her son's arms, sobbing into his chest. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, wanting to comfort her, but this was also a long time coming. "You don't have to be sorry about anything, sweetie! _I'm _the one who's sorry!" She wept. "I swear to the Gods, I never mean to hurt you like this…"

"Aw, mama…" He stroked her head lovingly. "Let it stay in the past now! I'm here. You're here. So are papa and Alayna. We can be a family now, can't we? It's going to be alright."

But all she wanted to do was hide herself from the world in her son's loving arms. And he made sure she was feeling comforted in this dire situation. But Gabriel himself was silently praying to Kynareath for his father to just open his eyes. "It's going to be alright, mama. Have faith."

"Will you two stop the waterworks? I'm alright now."

"Oh my Gods!" Carissa broke away from the embrace to cup Brynjolf's cheeks. "Bryn!"

"Ha! Papa, you're alright!" Gabriel was just as overjoyed.

"It'll take more than a… dagger to put your old man down, lad," Brynjolf smiled at him weakly, reaching up to pat his cheek. He then looked at his elated wife. "I'm alright, sabre cat."

"Oh…" She was ready to cry again – this time tears of joy. "I love you."

"And I you, sabre cat," He shifted his eyes to Gabriel this time. "The both of you."

And at that moment, Carissa knew that everything was truly going to be alright. She had her son and husband back. And she would not trade this moment for anything else in the world.

* * *

**A/N: Alright! This is the official outcome, with Bryn surviving! On chapter 51, I'll post the alternate one :) **

**And now, the last chapter of Stealing Hearts! :) **

**The best song I had on while writing this was "Hanging On" by Active Child. I listened to the original, the version by Ellie Goulding, and the Living Phantom remix. Somehow, the mood of the song just helped x) **


	50. Together

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild, Riften  
15****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
10:43pm **

"Well, now that I've escaped Sovngarde, what are we going to do about Aeron and Mathilda?"

"DREAM ON, you going to Sovngarde! Like they'd let you in!" Carissa laughed, knocking Brynjolf over the head playfully.

"Can't blame a man for dreaming though, right?" Brynjolf looked up at his wife, whom he had sitting on his lap lovingly.

Carissa simply smiled at him, before addressing her guild. "Rurik and Charna are dead, leaving Aeron and Mathilda left. News of their adopted children's death should have reached them by now. Or if it hasn't, it will."

"And we need to find a way to bring them down. Once we do, we and other establishments won't have to worry about them ever again." Alayna said.

"Arisha," Gabriel then spoke, turning to find his favorite Redguard. "Remember you said that you all had a hideout that was well… quite well hidden?"

Arisha, who was bringing drinks to the guild members, stopped to answer her lover. "Yeah! I gave the location to Carissa. She said she would have some of the members from the Markarth hideout spy on it."

"Right, and nothing ever turned up. It was like they had other hideouts…" She mumbled.

"Yes, but that's their main one!" Gabriel said. "It's been only an hour since we killed the two. What are the odds that once they learn of it, they'll run for the hideout, grab whatever they can, and try to make a run for it?"

"You mean, leave Skyrim?" Rune asked.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. "It's possible."

"Then let's take the chance," Brynjolf said. "The folks in Markarth know what to do with them. Let's just sit back and wait for the letter, shall we?"

* * *

**20****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
2:41pm **

"Un-be-lieve-able…"

"Hate to say it, mama."

"_They already left?_"

"Well…" Gabriel unfolded the letter once more. "According to this… news of the Dracul children's death reached Markarth, which obviously, would reach our Markarth members. After 2 days, there was no activity, so they broke in," He then doubled the letter once more. "And the place was ransacked. Like they had tried to take only the essentials."

"But how did they get in and out without our people knowing?" Carissa asked.

"Underground tunnel."

Carissa arched an eyebrow at him, taking another gulp of mead at that.

"Come on, mama. They might have installed that a while back and you wouldn't have known."

Carissa sighed epically, not knowing what to say about this. She was upset that she couldn't get her little claws on the two remaining Draculs, but they had been driven out! Of Skyrim! "Well, I can't say this is great news, but it _is _good news. Only one thing left to do." She flashed a smirk at him.

To which he smirked back. "When shall we start?"

"Whenever you want, sweetie. You're in charge."

Now that it was confirmed that Aeron and Mathilda Dracul had left Skyrim, the only thing left to do was the destroy what they had left behind. What had they left behind? Wineries, clothing stores, weapon stores… _anything _that was owned by the Draculs, were all going to be demolished. Courtesy of the Thieves Guild. Maybe now people won't hate them so much, having done a huge favor for most of the locals. With Gabriel leading the assault, those establishments were wrecked and or burned down in no time. The Draculs influence had died down, and no one had planned on seeing them for a long, long time. Of course, that did not stop Carissa from being careful. They would monitor the borders from Hammerfell to Skyrim; the members of the Markarth and Falkreath hideout would take care of that.

* * *

**Location: Lake Honrich  
25****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
6:23pm **

"How old would he have been today, mama?"

"Well, let's see… huh. 60," Carissa chuckled, realizing how long it had been. "43 years. He's been dead for _43 years…_ not sure if I should be surprised at that or at how old I'm getting…"

"Speak for yourself, sabre cat…" Brynjolf muttered his breath, cursing at his own age.

Brynjolf, Carissa, Alayna and Gabriel Larue were at Lake Honrich, a lake home to Riften. Right now, the evening was tuning in. As the sun set, it was disappearing into an array of yellow, orange and red, and that whole breath-taking display was twinkling on the surface of the lake's crystal clear waters.

"So what's with this whole 'throwing a flower into the lake' thing you do?" Gabriel asked, arms across his massive chest.

Carissa continued to stare out into the lake, admiring it through and through. "Well… your great-grandmother had this little belief that was passed down from her mother and so on. They believed that if you toss a flower into a lake or river or the sea… it was to show that you still thought of them and miss them. Silly, I know, but after your uncle's death… it just made me want to do it. Didn't seem so silly after all." She faked a little laugh as she hung onto a beautifully blossomed Red Mountain Flower.

"It isn't silly," Gabriel said, smiling at the sunset. "I think it's a great way to tell someone you're still thinking of them. Because who knows?" Kneeling down at the edge of the lake, he gracefully tossed a Red Mountain Flower into the lake, and the current began to carry it away. "They might be still out there, looking to cross over with something to hold on to."

"Awwwww!" Alayna giggled and knelt next to him, hugging him from the side. "Such beautiful words! Aren't you just the poet?" She pinched his cheek playfully.

Gabriel briefly smiled at his little sister, before turning his attention back to the lake. He had just one more Red Mountain Flower in his hand, and he knew exactly who to toss it into the lake for. So with another smile, he did.

"Who was that for, son?" Brynjolf asked, his arm still wrapped around his wife protectively.

"Danica."

Carissa and Brynjolf exchanged a look of sorrow, realizing that they had also overlooked Danica's death.

"I had a feeling that fever was bad but… I didn't think it would be so bad that it would kill her," He said gloomily, but still trying his best to keep his spirits up, knowing that Danica's own spirit was probably at rest right now. "I really do miss her. Even if she was just a priestess who took me in… she did raise me after all."

"Yes, and she thought you everything," Carissa said, although a thought then struck her. "But I'm pretty sure she didn't teach you how to _thieve_."

Gabriel grinned widely this time and got up, turning to his mother. "Well…. _That _was hereditary. You can't blame me." He shrugged his shoulders at her.

"Mama just never thought that you would end up being here, that's all." Alayna said.

"But I'm still glad you are, Gabriel," Carissa walked up to him, her eyes sparkling at him. "I never thought I'd get my son back," She ran a hand up his cheek. "But now that I have, I want to make up for all those years."

Gabriel took that hand and clasped it tightly. "Even without you being with me physically, you still protected me," He said. "I don't think you owe me anything, mama."

Carissa gave him the most grateful smile she could muster. Smiling back, Gabriel planted a loving kiss on his mother's forehead, which she gladly accepted. Brynjolf and Alayna could only smile at that beautiful, heart-warming sight.

"Come on," Gabriel then took his mother's and little sister's hands. "Let's go home. I plan on robbing Radient Raiment tomorrow. Alayna, want to back me up on this one?"

"Sure! Do you have a plan?"

"I'm feeling a little… dramatic. Let's cause a great distraction-"

By then, Gabriel had broken away from Carissa and walked side by side with Alayna. It was okay; Carissa decided to walk with her husband instead – her husband who was grinning away at the sight of their two children.

"They're the perfect sibling thieves, don't you think?" Carissa asked, nudging at him.

"They are," Brynjolf put his loving arm around her waist, holding her close. "And they're ours."

The four were finally a real family, and they looking forward to a lifetime of thieving. Together.

* * *

**A/N: Well... just like Runaway With My Heart, this story took 6 months (well almost lol).**

**It has been a fun ride and I have really enjoyed writing Carissa! She turned out well! And Brynjolf turned out to be the perfect character for what I had planned for this story. And I hope the ending wasn't too weak! This was what I had in mind.  
**

**Stay tuned for the alternate ending to this story! I'll be posting it by the end of this week. **

**I'll also be releasing some important news in the next chapter as well, which, I think might not appeal to some of you guys. o.O**


	51. Alternate Ending - I'm Here

**The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ****–**** Brynjolf and Carissa ****–****"****Stealing Hearts****"**

* * *

**Location: Outside of Riften  
15th of Sun's Dusk, 4E 219  
8:19pm**

Alayna hurried over to Brynjolf's side, where Gabriel already was, accessing the wound on his chest. The iron dagger was still here, and even when time had passed by, there was not much blood. In fact, there was hardly any.

Alayna ran her hands past his cheeks and hair. "No…" She then gripped the iron dagger, wanting to extract it.

"Alayna, don't!" Gabriel clasped her hand with his left one. "That dagger's keeping him alive!" He said frantically. "And I think it's poisoned. But he's still alive. Not responding, but alive."

"We need to get him back!" She said, ready to sob. "He'll die out here!"

"Come on!" Rune rushed over. "Let's not waste any time!"

* * *

**Location: Cistern, Thieves Guild**

"LEXA! GET YOUR MER ASS OVER HERE!"

Lexa (not being her real name, of course), a Wood Elf and the Guild's personal medic, did not like being yelled for. Coming close to 100 years of age, she certainly hated being bossed around. However, when she turned around to see who were entering the cistern, the color drained from her fair face. "Oh my Gods! What happened?!"

Gabriel and Rune were carrying their unconscious second-in-command over their shoulders, dragging him to the nearest bed. "The Draculs happened!" Alayna said with tears eyes. "Lexa, please! You have to save him!"

"Now, now, child," Lexa said in a gentle tone. "There's no point in you getting worked up. Calm down." When Gabriel and Rune put him on the bed, Lexa took a look at the stab wound, the knife still being there. She pressed two fingers against his neck and then his wrist. The colour almost drained from her face. "Oh no…"

"'Oh no'? What do you mean oh no?!" Alayna cried out.

Lexa turned her head to the young guild member. "Alayna, child, I am so sorry…"

"No…! NO!" Alayna hurried over to her father, hands on his cheeks. "It _can't _be! Papa!"

Gabriel grabbed the nearest seat he could find, suddenly feeling a little sick to his stomach.

"Gabriel!" Arisha quickly helped him sit down, noting of the condition his arm was in. And also his shock. "I'm so sorry, wolfie…" She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a small embrace with his head on her chest.

Gabriel wanted to do something. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. He wanted to tear up, but he couldn't. "I-I can't-"

"OI!" And at that moment, all of them froze, for the shout of their Guildmaster shot through the air. Carissa popped her head out from the doorway of her private quarters. "What's going on here?" She walked out of the room, and witnessed the looks on all of her family members. "What's with all the yelling? Are they back yet?"

She scanned the cistern and that was when her electric-blue eyes fell on Brynjolf, with the knife in the centre of his chest, and Alayna crying her heart out.

For a split second, time had stopped in her world, but then reality struck her hard. "NO!" Carissa cried out frantically, making a run for him. "BRYN!"

"Carissa, wait!" Rune quickly got to her, and grabbed her by her waist in order to stop her from advancing to him.

"LEMME GO, RUNE!" She almost screeched. "Let me go! Brynjolf!" She desperately called out for him, not wanting to believe that this was the end.

"Carissa, please!" Rune tried his best to hold her down. "There's nothing you can do for him…"

"No!" She was almost flaying in his arms. "No, it can't be! _It can't be_! Bryn!" Tears were already streaming down her face. "Bryn, please! Wake up! WAKE UP, you big oaf! DON'T leave me! Tell me you're alright! Please just tell me…!" Upon that last statement, she stopped struggled and fell to her knees, with Rune safely catching her and letting her cry into his chest.

* * *

**9:32pm **

From a distance, after Arisha successfully bandaged Gabriel's hurt arm, he was left alone, watching his mother caress his father's cheek lovingly with a blank look on her face. Brynjolf was still exactly where he was. Everyone, including Carissa knew that they had to prepare him to be buried, but none made the effort to tear Carissa away long enough for that to happen. Why? Cause anything goes right now. Everybody knew of Carissa's temper. Would she really appreciate being told to move away from her husband right now?

Probably not, but nobody dared to find out.

Even Gabriel was having a hard time grasping this. Just a mere second before his father fell to the ground… everything was supposed to have been fine. He had decided to make amends. He had decided not to leave the Guild. He had decided to be with his _parents _and built a _real family _– the one he had once lost. So how? How did it suddenly become like _this_?

The Draculs.

Gabriel thought Rurik's and Charna's deaths were enough for him, but they were not. And he had a slight feeling his mother was not satisfied as well. But he would not know. He had not spoken to Carissa just yet. What would he even say anyway?

His thoughts dissolved when Alayna returned to him, a tankard in hand. "Here you go, Gabriel." She sat it onto the table.

"Aw, bless your little heart, Layna. Thank you." Gabriel said with much gratefulness when Arisha brought him that tankard of hot water. He was in much pain after suffering that wound to his sword arm, despite Arisha's successful attempt at bandaging it. Guess it would heal with time.

"Are you still in pain?" She asked, clearing her throat.

"Are you talking about my arm or my heart?" He asked, glancing up at her with saddened eyes.

It pained Alayna's heart to see him like this. She herself managed to stop crying, but she couldn't imagine how her brother might be feeling right now. She sat next to him, taking his hand into hers. "Gabriel…"

"You know what the worst part was, Alayna?" His eyes detached away from her and into space. "We made things right. I was going to talk to my mother and the four of us, we were all going to be a _family_. Everything was going to be _fine_. How could this happen? I blame myself for this…"

Alayna was appalled to hear that. "Blame yourself? Gabriel, you have no reason to!"

"Don't I?" He looked at her. "If I hadn't stormed out in the first place, then maybe out father wouldn't have come after me and maybe he wouldn't be dead!"

"Gabriel, he's dead because of the Draculs! It has nothing to do with you!"

"Well, I provoked them, didn't I? With my comment? I led them here to us, didn't I? So yes, Alayna, it's my fault!"

"Don't say that, Gabriel, please!" She reached forward and cupped both of his cheeks. "Look at me! It's not your fault. No matter what you say. You didn't cause papa's death. Please, don't say that."

Gabriel was about to counter that, but was rendered speechless when he realized that there was a third party with them. Alayna took notice of his silence and turned around… only to see their Guildmaster standing in front of them, tears streaming down.

"Alayna, sweetie, could I have a word with him, if you don't mind?" Carissa asked politely, with a hint of dejection in her once-commanding voice.

Alayna smiled, removing her hands from Gabriel and stood up. "Sure, mama." And she walked away.

"Thank you, sweetie." She briefly tore her gaze away from Gabriel to acknowledge the Redguard. Once she was gone, she met Gabriel's eyes once more.

Gabriel got up and took a few steps towards her to meet her. He was almost frightened to stand in his mother's presence right now. He was also confused as to why she was even standing in front of him in the first place.

"Whatever you do…" Those were the first words she spoke, and they came out slowly, so as to help him understand. "Don't you _dare _say any of this was your fault."

"Carissa-"

"It's my fault, Gabriel," She said. "And everyone here knows it. _I _was the one who provoked them. 18 years ago, I knew what I was getting this guild into but did I care? No. My pride was all that mattered. And now… your father paid the price for my defiance…"

"None of us knew it was going to be this way, you know." He said.

"I'm the goddamned Guildmaster of this guild," She now had anger in her eyes. "I was _supposed _to make sure that it was _not _going to be this way. But look what I've done! I just _caused _the death of this guild's second-in-command! _My _husband! … Your father…" She added after a pause.

Gabriel was wishing that she would not speak like that. But how was he going to make her understand?

"I've done many bad things in my life. And I thought the worse was giving you up _thinking _it was best thing for you," She looked up at him with her teary eyes. "And now I have something that's just as bad as that: causing the death of the man who stole my heart. So please, Gabriel, for your sake," She reached up and cupped his cheeks. "Please don't blame yourself. Let me handle that burden. It's mine to bare anyways…" Her hands slid down to his chest, giving him a pat and turned to walk away, possibly back to Brynjolf.

"No, stop!" Gabriel grabbed her arm and made her turn back to him. "Stop this. I won't let you do this to yourself. You're my mother; you've suffered enough!"

She looked at him with widened shocked eyes, although he did not pay attention to that.

"Look. You did what you had to do to me, because you wanted to protect me. And was it successful? Yes, it was! Look at me, mama! I'm right here!" He almost cried out to her. "And that alone caused you and papa a great deal of grief! I know that you would cry every night for me, mama. I know. That alone was enough for me to know that you truly cared for me, and missed me so much." Gently, he took both of her smaller hands into his large ones. "And through all of that, you've suffered. And now you want to add this as well? No, mama. Don't. Please don't. I've already lost my father, right after I made amends with him which is the _worst _possible feeling to have. Don't let me lose you too. I _want _to make this right."

More tears rolling down her cheeks without her even blinking the moment Carissa heard all those words. She managed a small smile and shook her head. "You're not going to lose me, sweetie," She ran a hand past his cheek once more. "I've been staying alive just for you and your sister."

Gabriel smiled back, his hand touching that hand of hers.

"Could you do me a favour?"

"Anything you want, mama."

Her small smile escalated into a grin. "Keep calling me that." And she was taken into a massive hug.

* * *

**30****th**** of Sun's Height, 4E 201  
(18 years ago)**

"Hey, Bryn! You're finally back! Delvin just got us a weapons merchant. Isn't it amazing? Now we just need a blacksmith to go along with it. And… we also need everything else…"

Brynjolf smiled pleasantly at his lover, before lovingly taking her left hand, specifically the fourth finger, and slipping a ring onto it.

Carissa's eyes widened until they were ready to pop out and she gaped at it for an unknown amount of time. It was a silver ring with an Amethyst stone on it. Holy Mara, he was… "ARE YOU ASKING ME TO MARRY YOU?!"

Brynjolf chuckled, particularly because her shriek brought him back to the time he gifted her that Daedric Dagger, and she reacted the exact same way. "I believe that it is the only reason why one would place a ring on that finger, lass? So… does your yelling mean a yes?"

She was hopping up and down in her place and could not seem to stop. "YES! YES, YES, YES, YES, **YES**, YOU HANDSOME RED-HEADED NORD, I WANT to marry you!"

She was then picked up like a little puppy and hugged tightly and she didn't care that she almost could not breathe. She had gotten a marriage proposal and she was going to marry the man who had her since the day he stole her heart.

* * *

**18****th**** of Sun's Dusk  
7:45pm **

On the 18th of Sun's Dusk, the guild made plans to bury their second-in-command on a plot of land that Carissa bought years ago near Treva River in Riften. She had purchased it for the sole purpose of burying their dead, and now Brynjolf was to be buried there as well. The service went smoothly, and though she wished it could lessen the pain in her heart, it didn't.

Returning home, Gabriel tried his best to comfort his mother. Right now, he stroked her hair as she laid her head on his lap, tears silently streaming down. He was now out of words to tell her. Perhaps it was best to let her be, but he made sure he was right here with her.

"Carissa?"

That was Arisha's sweet tone calling out to her. Carissa made eye contact, but did not move her position. "Yes, sweetie? What is it?"

Arisha had her hands behind her back and she looked as if she was going to deliver some bad news. "Um… the folks from the Markarth hideout sent us a letter."

"And?"

"And um… they're gone."

"What?" Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows at that.

"It's true, Gabriel," She turned her attention to him. "News of the Dracul children's death reached Markarth, which obviously, would reach our Markarth members. After 2 days, there was no activity, so they broke in. And the place was ransacked. Like they had tried to take only the essentials."

"It doesn't mean we don't stop hunting for them," Carissa said in mumbles. "Write back to the members in Markarth, as well as the ones in Falkreath. Tell them that if they ever see Aeron or Mathilda, bring them here."

"Mama, I don't think we'll see them for a very long time." Gabriel told her gently.

"I _don't care_…" She said. "No matter how long it takes. I want them to _really _know what happens when you cross with the Thieves Guild."

"Alright, Carissa," Arisha obeyed. "And what about the little wreck-and-burn operation on all of their establishments in Skyrim?"

"Proceed with it. Tell Rune he's in charge."

Arisha nodded once more. "Sure." So saying, she turned to leave the two alone.

As Gabriel continued to stroke his mother's head, he told her softly. "Mama? Are you sure you want to go through all this just to take them down? Isn't killing their children enough? I mean, I'm all for revenge too, but I realized that it's not going to bring papa back."

"I. Don't. Care."

"Mama, I know you're hurting. But please, don't do anything rash."

"I know exactly. What. I'm. Doing."

"Mama-"

"He's not going to hold me in his arms anymore, Gabriel," She interrupted him. "He's not going to kiss me good morning or goodnight anymore. He's not going to call me 'lass' anymore too. Our marriage only lasted 18 years and you know what?" She suddenly sat up, looking at him in the eyes. "That wasn't enough! That wasn't enough for me! I wanted more! But I couldn't so now I want retribution! Can't I at _least _get that?!"

Gabriel looked at her with those green eyes of his, his face telling her that it was still not going to bring back her husband.

She sighed and softened her tone. "He was… the one man who wanted a nice full relationship with me, Gabriel. He didn't leave me or cheat on me. Nothing. He just wanted me. And I knew I wanted him after I realized that he was the one. And now he's _gone_. I just want him back."

Gabriel gently took one of her hands and squeezed tightly. "No matter how much it hurts, we can't get him back, mama. Death means death. There's nothing else to it. But what we can do is remember him for who he was and everything he did for us. We also can't sit around here every day and cry too. I'm sure he wouldn't want that."

Carissa sniffed and hung her head in dejection. "No, he wouldn't…"

"See?"

Carissa glanced up at him again, with something else on her mind. "But Gabriel?"

"Yes?"

"Could I uh… Could I just cry a little bit more, please?" She felt a sob coming on and she could not stop it. "Please, I just want to let it go…"

And at that point, Gabriel fought back his own tears and nodded his head at her. "As much as you want to, mama. I'm here for you."

She broke down in an instant and Gabriel quickly took her into his arms, letting her cry into his chest. He made sure he kept that promise: he was there for her now and was holding her in his massive arms, letting her let go of those last tears. And he also made sure that he would see her through tomorrow and the years to come, as long as he was still around.

* * *

**Location: Marketplace, Riften  
21st of Mid Year, 4E 201  
8:15pm**

"Stealing plus planting? I like it!" She beamed. "Consider it done, handsome."

"You won't disappoint me, will you?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Been doing this for 25 years. This is child's play." She reached up and patted his cheek. "Don't worry, handsome. I'll make you proud of me. Just… make sure you give me that distraction, alright? Don't let me down."

"Oh? 25 years? That's a long time. Well, let's see if you show off those years of experience tomorrow then." He brought back that bright smile.

"Tomorrow then." Carissa nodded. "Have a good night, Brynjolf." She opened the door for the Bee and Barb.

"And you, lass."

* * *

**A/N: Well, here you go! The alternate ending to this story, if Bryn doesn't survive! Some material and quotes taken from Chapters 49 and 50 ;) Some of you guys wanted to see Bryn's proposal and/or the wedding, so I threw his proposal in here! **

**Happy belated birthday to Aela-Lachance97! :)**

**So now, for my news: NO, I'm NOT leaving the website! LOL Actually... now that this story's ended, this is actually going to be the last Elder Scrolls fan-fiction I'm going to be doing. **

**Yes, it's true ladies and gentlemen. I'm stopping the Elder Scrolls fanfics for now, but not permanently because, as you can see from my profile, I have a few more others to do. But my profile also states that I have other fics from _other _games that I have lined up. And I'd really like to get to them, and I feel that it's time to do so.  
**

**I'm sorry if some of you guys are disappointed, because I know that some of you followed me because of the numerous ES fics I have, but I'm afraid you're gonna have others popping up in your emails from now on LOL. **

**The thing is... I love the Elder Scrolls series. Seriously. I was first introduced to the series because of all the hype about Skyrim and after getting it for Christmas in 2011, I've never regretted the fact that I know more about the series than my own Chemistry textbook LOL But I'd like to move on to write about the other amazing video games that have inspired me and made my life meaningful. **

**But I hope you guys still keep an eye out for any new ES fics I might put up in the future. Maybe I'll post a new chapter in some existing stories, or start working on the ones that are still on my profile. But still, I hope you guys still support this soon-to-be 17 year old and her love for writing and telling stories, while she has to take her National Exams in a few months LOL. **

**Anyway! Thanks for following this story! There's an official theme to this story entitled "Stole My Heart"; the link is available on my profile. I'm also on ask fm! Link on my profile as well. Come ask me stuff! :D **

**Until the next Elder Scrolls fanfiction! (God knows when...)  
Much love,  
Ash ;)**


	52. Character Bio and Story Trivia

**Name: **Carissa Larue (Real name: Alayna Larue)  
**Nickname(s):** Rissa, Sabre Cat, Breton, Short stack, Boss, Boss Lady  
**Style:** Thief/Assassin  
**Race: **Breton  
**Place of Birth: **Riften, Skyrim  
**Current Residence: **The Ratways, Rfiten, Skyrim  
**Eye Colour: **Electric Blue  
**Hair Colour: **Black**  
Hair Style: **Shoulder length (Ponytail)

**Family: **Audric Larue (Elder brother)  
Brynjolf (Husband)  
Gabriel Larue (Son)  
Alayna Larue (Adopted daughter)

**Associates:** Rune (Carissa's right-hand man)  
Sapphire (Carissa's right-hand woman)  
Karliah  
Delvin Mallory (Senior Member, Master Sneak Trainer)  
Vex (Senior Member, Master Lockpicking Trainer)  
Cynric Endell  
Thrynn  
Niruin (Master Archery Trainer)  
Vipir the Fleet (Master Pickpocket Trainer)  
Tonilia (Fence)  
Mallus Maccius (Fence)  
Gulum-Ei (Fence)  
Enthir (Fence)  
Vekel the Man (Bartender of the Ragged Flagon)  
Dirge (The Ragged Flaggon's bouncer)  
Syndus (Arrows and weapons merchant)  
Herlium Lothaire (Alchemy merchant)  
Vanryth Gatharian (Armor and weapons merchant)  
Glover Mallory (Blacksmith of Raven Rock, now in service to the Guild)  
Rina (Old friend)  
Kyde (Old friend)  
Jon (Old friend)  
Sera (Old friend)  
Sheamus (Old friend)  
Varna (Old friend)  
Edric (Old friend)

**Apparel: **Guild Master's armor  
Thieves Guild armor  
Nightingale Armor  
Novice Robes  
Novice Hood

**Weapons: **Daedric Dagger  
Glass Dagger

* * *

**Name: **Alayna Laure (Real name: Lucie)  
**Nickname(s):** Layna, Little Layna, Princess  
**Race: **Nord  
**Place of Birth: **Unknown  
**Current Residence: **The Ratways, Riften, Skyrim  
**Eye Colour: **Ocean-blue  
**Hair Colour: **Dirty blonde**  
Hair Style: **Shoulder length

**Weapons: **Elven dagger  
Elven bow

* * *

**Name: **Gabriel Larue  
**Nickname(s):** Bretord, Wolf, Wolfie  
**Race: **Breton-Nord  
**Place of Birth: **The Ratways, Riften, Skyrim  
**Date of Birth: **3rd of Hearthfire, 4E 202  
**Current Residence: **The Ratways, Riften, Skyrim  
**Eye Colour: **Green  
**Hair Colour: **Red **  
Hair Style: **Mid back (tied into a ponytail)

**Weapons: **Glass dagger

* * *

**Trivia: **1)Carissa has a fascination for Glass daggers, which Gabriel just so happen to inherit.

2) Carissa is follower of Mara.

3) There was no intention of adding Lucie to the story.

4) There was no intention of adding Maya to the story either. (Luckily, I don't listen to myself!)

5) Carissa was originally a Breton-Nord.

6) Lavette was Carissa's original last name.

7 Daniel was Gabriel's original name. (YES, I KNOW: DANIEL ISN'T A GOOD CHOICE. I suck at naming things, remember?)

8) There was no intention of adding Arisha to the story.

9) Carissa was originally 18 years of age when her brother died.

10) Embarrassingly enough, the addition of the Dracul family was a last minute decision. (The ideas won't stop popping into my head.)

11) If I could, I would name "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift as the official theme song. But instead, I've composed one! XD

12) I personally wish I could give this story a better name. I feel that this one is too typical :/

* * *

**A/N: SURPRISE! XD  
**

**It's not a chapter, but embarrassingly enough, I forgot to put this in, so here's Carissa's, Alayna's and Gabriel's biography, as well as a short story trivia :) **


End file.
